It was late afternoon when Ferain had come around. Victor had brought her to the nurse’s office, as he promised, and Anita was there by her side when she awoke, as she knew her partner would be. The nurse, Mr. Ita, was a plump man with a short blonde beard, and long matching hair that had darker highlights. Twilight had drowned the city in a beautiful sunset, and the dimming light had filled her room with a comforting feeling that she had made it to the end of the day at long last. She had fought her hardest, gave it everything she had, and reached the end of it. She was proud of what she did, despite having lost the fight. She felt as if she had accomplished what she set out to do.

She showed everybody that Ferain Hirigaya, the lvl-4 prodigy, did belong here. The rest of the rumors and mutterings, about the murders and about her past, would never change. Not anytime soon, at least. But, for now, this was enough for her, even if she did not raise in level. Mr. Ita had talked with her shortly after waking up, exclaiming about how rapidly she was already healing, and explaining how his powers worked. His own gifts accelerated and enhanced a person’s natural healing, and seeing as Fera was already somehow blessed in this regard, she would be making a full recovery within a few hours, if even that. None of this concerned her all that much, however. What really mattered to her came later, closer to actual nightfall, and in the form of Guji Hakamura.

He stepped into the room, gave a greeting to Anita and the nurse, before requesting that Ferain accompany him for a short walk. That was how she wound up on the roof of the school, overlooking the entirety of District-A, and watching the moon now rising far on the horizon. He was dressed in his usual manner, whereas Ferain was still wearing the tattered and filthy remains of her uniform, burned tights included. Her long, wild hair billowed around her in the breeze, and she smelt the salt in the ocean air that always surrounded them. Her pleated skirt shifted gently in the wind, and she felt the cold of night, despite it being summer, bring rise to a chill as it brushed against her skin. They remained silent with one another for quite some time, simply staring off into the distance. Fera had questions, of course, and she knew Guji had things to say as well, but for now, she did not want to break this peace.

She enjoyed it far too much to chase it away now, and her headmaster appeared to feel the same way, or so she assumed. Up here, away from everyone, she felt like she was in a different world. Though, as she knew was inevitable, the silence was eventually broken.

“How are you feeling?” asked Guji.

“Fine.” she replied, in nearly a whisper. “I’m okay.”

“That’s all?” he asked.

“That’s all. And you know what? I’m happy with that. I think, for the first time in recent memory, I’m happy with my life. I did something huge today, and I’m proud of myself for the first time ever.”

“I’m glad to hear that.” said Guji, his hands in his pockets, and his dark hair blowing around his face as well. “I have your results back from the advancement test, would you like to hear them?”

“Yes, I would.” she replied.

“Obviously, right?” he said, grinning. “Before I do, however, I want to share something with you, a tidbit about the level system we have in place here. Do you know why we have that system?”

“To separate us by our abilities, right? If you’re stronger, you get put in a higher ranking than if you’re weaker.” answered Ferain.

“Yes and no, Ms. Hirigaya. See, levels aren't just assigned based on the person’s natural strength. If they were, people like Mr. Callus would have been placed much higher. He had skill and raw power that was nearly unmatched by others in your level. But, even with that, I placed him in lvl-4 as well. The same could be said about Ms. Raven Emming, as she too was put in your level, in spite of her natural gifts with her powers. There are actually several things that go into the decision. Can you name any, any that you might think to be possibilities?”

“Control?” she asked, after thinking about it for a moment.

“That is one, yes. How about another one?”

“Potential.” she said confidently.

“Another one down, very good. Next?” Fera remained silent for a while, unable to think of any other response to give, to which Guji grinned. “Attitude and desire are other factors as well. It’s never as simple as being stronger than the person next to you. Do you know why I’m telling you this?”

“No, not really.” answered Ferain, still watching the night swallow up the city, and the lights of the districts coming to life.

“It’s so you can understand why I assign the levels I do. To me, personally, I think the level system represents growth and character, though strength is obviously a small part of it as well. Today, you showed me how much you have really changed in your time here, how much you have grown. When you first arrived at this school, you were afraid of what you are, of who you are, and you could not trust yourself around others because of this. You were reclusive and timid and you remained a face in the shadows, hiding from everyone as much as possible. In just six months, look at where you are, look at what you’ve accomplished. You have made excellent progress, extraordinary friends, and have performed spectacularly, just as I knew you would. Ferain Hirigaya, I am raising your level to that of level-2.”

“Two?” asked Fera, nearly choking on her breath.

“Like I said, you displayed what I feel these schools were made to teach. The academies were not originally created to turn us into weapons, they were made for the exact opposite reason. We were supposed to learn how to control our abilities, so that when we rejoined society with normal humans, us wielders would not pose a threat to our neighbors. We were soldiers coming home from the war we were bred to win, and we needed a place to teach us the one thing we did not originally have.”

“And that is, sir?” asked Ferain.

“Humanity.” he replied quietly, very quietly. “We knew violence, and only violence. We were tools, our powers were weapons, and our characters, well, they were made out of one defining aspect, and that was our desire to kill everything around us. The schools were supposed to remove that quality, to give us humanity, and a purpose outside of bloodshed. A lot of our kind do not believe that, and they still seek violence. They seek it against our own kind, and against humans. But I don’t. I want to keep going down the path of teaching humanity to all wielders, to show them that the world is not about pure strength, but about the good we can do in the world with more than just our powers. To me, today, you represented some of that. It was a fight, and a hard fought one at that, but it was the reasons for fighting that made me increase your level, not the skill you showed. You didn’t fight for the sake of violence, you fought for approval, acceptance, and to prove that you have earned your place here at Olirian. It was a personal fight that had meaning to it, and that made all the difference.”

Something touched the top of Ferain’s head, and the surprise of it made her let out a short squeak before looking up to see Guji, staring off into the night, and his hand being the thing that had gently touched her.

“I’m so proud of you, Ferain. I have a favor to ask of you, if you would be kind enough to indulge me?”

“O-of course, Headmaster.” she said timidly, not fully knowing why she was blushing so hard, or why she had so much emotion welling up inside of her heart, threatening to burst out at any moment.

“Keep flying higher, forever and always. Tobi, your… father, prove him wrong. Continue proving them all wrong. I know I asked this as a favor, but I want you to do it for yourself more than for anybody else, including me. I want you to soar as high as you can, and I want you to become the person I know you can be.”

Guji looked down at her, and in the moonlight, she saw glistening trails rolling down his cheeks, and the sight almost broke her heart. She felt like she had seen something she should not have, and this… this tearing down of the walls that separated them as teacher and student felt odd, but also somehow right. She could not explain it, that would just be impossible, but something about this, deep in her heart, felt like the life she never had, the life she should have lived in any other timeline had that dreaded night not ever occurred all those years ago. It felt… breathtaking, and warm, and wonderful. It felt like everything that had happened in her life up to this point was now all worth it, just to see this man, this near-stranger, looking at her with those golden eyes, the ones that were so much like her own.

Several seconds passed, then one minute, and then two. They stood there, quietly, almost awkwardly, and to Ferain, it felt like only a few blinks of an eye, a couple of rapid heartbeats, a single breath.

“I will, Headmaster, I promise.” she finally said, before turning her vision out to the cityscape once more, trying to hide the tears that were now coming unwillingly. There were not a lot, just a couple, but her vision was blurring, and her eyes were burning faintly. These were not the tears she was used to crying, however. They were from joy, and a warmth in her heart that she could not ever remember feeling, not with anybody. Guji’s hand remained atop her head for a minute longer, but then was taken away. It returned to his pocket, and the man beside her let out a soft, subtle sigh, like a great weight had been taken off of his shoulders, and relief was swelling up within him.

“Ms. Hirigaya, I will bid you a goodnight for now. I must take my leave, but know that this was pleasant, and I appreciate you lending me your time. I fear that I have fallen into the habits of an older man, rambling on and on about things those of your age likely don’t care about. Though, you listened, and you did so admirably. You will receive your new schedule before the end of break, so keep that in mind when we return to lessons on Monday of the week after next.”

Guji turned and started for the door, leaving Ferain alone in front of the metal railing that acted as a barricade from roof to ledge.

“Headmaster.” she called out, unable to stop herself. When she heard him stop and look back, she continued. “Thank you, for everything you’ve done. Thanks for your confidence in me, even when I never had it in myself. If not for you letting me into the academy, if not for you defending me all those times and talking to me when I needed advice or a father-figure, I would not have changed at all. I would still be back home, back with my grandmother, and back with my rotten, sorrowful memories. I would not be the girl I am now if not for you.” Fera looked over her shoulder and smiled widely at the headmaster, her own tears running down towards her lips and leaving a salty taste in the corners of her mouth. “You saved me.”

For a minute, Guji did not respond in any way. He appeared choked up and unable to speak at all. Finally, he nodded his head and grinned. “You’re welcome, Ferain.” he said, before really leaving this time.

There was no more that needed to be said, and now, it was time for her to return to Anita, who was probably freaking out over Fera’s health and the results of the advancement test. Just when she was about to turn away, she caught a glimpse of a streak of light in the corner of her eye, one that had passed through the sky in an instant. She watched for a moment longer and saw another one, a shooting star, bright and leaving its trail behind in the beautiful night. She stored this image in her mind, and promised that she would cherish this moment, from the time she reached the roof with Guji to now, this very second, forever and always. With that, she spun and made for the door that would lead her back to her partner, back to her best friend, back to the person she loved most in the entire world.

The Monday of their break, just a few days after the advancement test, Fera was sleeping soundly in her bed. The room was quiet, the only light within was from a small plug-in light that cast a small amount of blue on the floor by the door. It was the picturesque scene of peace, or Fera’s ideal version of it, if she had to choose one. All of this was true perfection, the best way to officially start their week off from school. That is, until a door burst open and the bright light from the hallway cast a large shadow on the floor. The owner of said shadow snickered as Fera practically jumped out of her bed, holding her heart as it pounded as rapidly as it ever had. Lightning burst around her instantly, her golden eyes glowed in the still dark recess where her bed resided, and her wild brown hair stood on end from the increasing static around her body.

“Good morning!” sang Anita, flipping the light switch in Fera’s room to bring even more light to ruin what was surely going to be the best possible morning of the vacation.

Ferain shielded her eyes and groaned as her powers ceased. At once, she fell back down and pulled the sheets back over her untidy head, attempting to hide from the burning illumination of the still relatively dim bulb. This shield did not last long, however, as something, and she had a good idea of what it was, ripped the covers off. Ferain whined as she wiped her eyes on her arm. She was wearing some black shorts and a white tank top that was lifted just enough to show her navel, and the scar that was near it.

“Get up, you big baby.” said Anita. “If you don’t, I’ll do this.” she added, before jumping onto Fera’s bed and bouncing up and down repeatedly.

“Cut it out!” Fera ordered, as her own body was starting to bounce enough to lift off the mattress with each of Anita’s landings.

“Only if you get up!” Anita barked back playfully.

Ferain reached up as Anita landed again and grabbed her wrist, pulling her down before she had the chance to jump again. Her partner fell on top of her, and they rolled off of the bed as they struggled against one another. There was a quiet thud, and when Ferain opened her eyes, she saw that she was on her back, and Anita was again on top. Anita looked down at her with a smug smirk, and a sly gleam in her stormy eyes.

“What?” asked Fera.

“Nothing.” Anita said, before looking away. “Just, you know… I did sort of win.” she added, unable to completely hide her beaming smile.

“You…” Fera said, before lightly smacking Anita’s arm. “I’m up now, so get off of me.”

“What if I didn’t want to?” Anita asked, putting her hands on Fera’s shoulders to keep her in place. She leaned down so that her locks of silver hair fell past her face, and around Fera’s. “What if I wanted to stay like this all day? What could you do about it?” she asked, and their faces were so close, Fera could smell the mint on Anita’s breath, and the pleasant scent that just seemed to naturally follow her everywhere.

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“I…” started Fera, blushing. “I don’t know.” she finished, and it was the truth. She had no idea what she could do if Anita refused to move. She wouldn't hurt her partner, and besides, it wasn’t as if she completely hated this situation anyway. To her amazement, she sort of… enjoyed it. “I guess I would just lay here.” she added, looking away from Anita, and praying she did not notice how embarrassed this position was making her.

In this scenario, Fera felt… funny, to say the least. She had complicated feelings about Anita, that much was certain to her. She liked her as a friend, as a partner, but there was obviously something more. She loved her, but Fera, never experiencing real friendship, let alone something like love, didn’t know what sort of love this was. Was it the bond between really close friends? Sisters, perhaps? Or was it something more? Of course, this way of thinking, these particular thoughts, brought back memories of previous times she had pondered this very thing. She had told Lili that they were like sisters, and even when Anita almost let slip the word ‘love’, she thought it to be in a more familial way. But, this was not the sort of situation sisters should find themselves in. Fera stared at Anita in a way that did not belong to family members. Anita’s thicker body, her larger chest, her beautiful eyes, her soft, dazzling hair. These were just some of the things Fera could not help but notice, especially now, when she was beneath them in such a helpless way.

“What if I kept moving closer and closer?” Anita asked. “You wouldn't be able to stop me, would you?”

Just as Anita finished speaking, their lips were about to touch. Fera found herself closing her eyes, her heart beating rapidly in her chest, and her face feeling hotter than it had in recent memory. There was an excitement rushing through her that she never experienced before, one that was reserved for moments like this. Fera could almost imagine how Anita’s soft lips would feel and taste as they just nearly brushed against each other. However, the moment was lost when there was a knock on the front door to the apartment. Anita rose, her cheeks just as bright as Ferain’s, and her breaths coming just as rapidly.

“Well, umm…” Anita said, hurrying off of Fera and sitting on her folded legs. She ran a hand through her hair nervously and nodded her head. “Right, well… I’ll go answer that, then.” Anita continued, before rising to her feet and scampering out of the room before Fera could even process what had actually happened, or what was about to happen.

She sat up and rubbed the back of her neck, somewhat disappointed that they had been interrupted. Anita was about to…

“About to what?” she asked herself. “Kiss me? No, she wasn’t going to do it.” she told herself, almost positive that she was right. “That was just Anita being Anita, nothing more. She was playing around.”

Ferain looked to the open door and sighed before letting her head droop forward. Lazily, she stood up, straightened her shirt, and went to her dresser to get dressed. They had plans today, plans that Anita had told her about the previous night. Fera was to change into the swimsuit she had bought before the advancement tests, and so she did. She pulled on the black and red swimsuit after she was finished with her morning shower, and then found some clothing to go over it. A pair of denim shorts, a tight black shirt, and the large red flannel she had worn when she went shopping for the swimsuit.

The final piece of her outfit was a blue ribbon that she tied around her right wrist. The red one she had worn to the test was destroyed from Victor’s attack. She did get it back, after it was found in the rubble while one of the teachers was fixing the arena. The small string was ripped and torn and had jagged edges all around it. Between her own powers, and the damage she had sustained during the fight, it was just not usable any longer, but she still decided it was worth keeping. It was a sort of… memento from that day, something to remind her of it whenever she looked at the thin, damaged ribbon.

Anita kept breakfast light, and her opinion of light was just a piece of toast for Fera, since she hardly ever ate all that much in the mornings to begin with, and three pieces for herself. Anita sometimes went for four or five, but not this morning, when she decided three would be enough to get her started for the day. The pair of them went down to the lobby, meeting up with Yarin, Kiko, and Lilipa, all of whom were wearing swimsuits of their own. Yarin had on some red trunks and a black button-up shirt to hide his torso. In his hand, per usual, was a book with a dark black hardcover, on which was a tree with three lightning bolts striking around it. She couldn’t see the title beneath the cover art, but that didn’t really matter, she could always ask him about it later.

Kiko was wearing yellow trunks and a white hoodie, which was only zipped up about halfway. While he was leaning lazily against a pillar, he was staring contemptuously at a girl that looked familiar, but also like a complete stranger. This girl was about 5’3”, maybe an inch taller, and had black, spiky hair that reached her ankles. In it were the usual three ribbons, and on the bottom one was the bells that always chimed whenever she walked. Her own jacket was light, and appeared to have an outer layer of mesh or fishnet that was over the inner layer of fabric. It was black and partially sheer, showing the revealing bikini that Ferain had seen Lilipa buy during their shopping trip. This girl, while taller, was still about as flat-chested as Fera, though for Lili, this was a step up.

“Hurry up and change back, Lilipa.” said Kiko.

“Why? Does this make you feel things, hmm? Are you developing feelings for me all of a sudden, ice pop?”

“You’re not my type, Lili, so get over yourself and go away already.” Kiko stated, before looking over and noticing Anita, who was on the far opposite side of the spectrum when compared to Lili or Ferain. Her figure was filled out, her chest bounced slightly when she walked, even when hidden behind her swimsuit and the sky-blue shirt she was wearing above her frilly white skirt. It didn’t reveal too much, but just enough to get a mind, Ferain’s specifically, working in multiple ways. Kiko then looked back at Lili. “You see, that’s what I like, not stupid kids like yourself. They need to have a…” He paused and made an hourglass motion with his hands before pocketing them again.

“You disgusting…” started Lili, but she was quickly cut off by another, much colder voice.

“Lilipa, get changed now. If you stay like that for too long, you’ll be out like a rock for days, and I can’t afford the food you consume when you finally wake up again. I don’t want to deal with it another time, so change back.”

“Fine, Yarin, whatever you say.” Lili said, before walking off behind one of the thick support beams that rose from the floor to the ceiling of the lobby.

When she rounded the beam, she was back in her normal, child-like form. Her bathing suit and jacket had readjusted accordingly as well, which was all the better.

“See, good children do what they’re told.” Kiko muttered, grinning wickedly in Lilipa’s direction.

Lilipa stuck her tongue out before falling into a seat beside Yarin on the bench he always read on.

Anita smiled at them and waved. “Morning, all.” she said kindly.

“Ferain, Anita.” Yarin said in greeting.

“Morning!” Lilipa shouted, earning her a light zap from Yarin, which caused her to nearly fall backwards from the bench.

“Still not going out with you.” Anita said, before Kiko had the chance to say anything at all. She saw how he was watching her, as he did anytime she was around. It angered Fera, how he always had his eyes on her, but now, Ferain could not really say anything against him, not even to herself. She now flashed Anita the same, interested gazes from time to time, and it was becoming more frequent with each passing day. It was as if every morning that passed, Fera saw something else in her partner that appealed to her. “Don’t give me that look, Kiko, I told you, you’re not my type.” she added, as Kiko rolled his eyes and looked glumly to the floor.

“And what exactly is your type?” he asked.

“Not you, and that’s all you get to know. Keep asking questions and I’ll send you into the sea.” she replied, before clapping her hands together. “Okay, so, since we’re all here, how about we get going?”

Yarin closed his book and smiled while rising from his seat. “Fine by me.” he said.

“Me as well.” Lilipa stated, jumping to her feet. “The sooner we get there, the happier I’ll be. I’ve been dying to play around for a bit. This year has been so serious and gloomy so far. A little bit of fun will be a nice change of pace.”

“I agree.” said Ferain, before looking at the black band around her left wrist.

“Mana?” asked Anita, taking notice of Ferain’s drifting attention.

“Yeah, she still hasn’t messaged me back. I asked her if she wanted to meet us here or at the beach.”

“Hmm. Well, all we can do is head out and see if she shows up. Who knows, maybe she’ll already be there waiting.” Anita said, before looking at Kiko. “You in or are you going to sulk forever?”

“I’m coming.” he said. “It’s not like I have much choice.” Kiko added, walking away from his column and heading for the door first.

“Nobody’s twisting your arm, popsicle.” said Lilipa, chasing after him.

“Says the goblin that woke me up by shouting in my ear this morning.”

“I didn’t shout!” Lili yelled, which caused Kiko to wince and stick a finger in his ear, as if checking for any damage.

“Yeah, real believable, cupcake.”

“I better keep an eye on them.” said Yarin, walking after the pair.

“They never change, do they?” came Anita, putting a hand on her hip and shaking her head.

“Doesn’t seem like it.” answered Fera, grinning stupidly as she was filled with a warmth that was a stranger to her until now. “But I don’t want them too. I like them the way they are.”

“I agree, except for Kiko. I wish he would stop staring at me like I’m a juicy piece of steak. I am a person, and I do have feelings.”

“Me too.” Fera responded, without thinking about it at first. Only after she saw Anita’s sideways glance and playful smirk did she wish she had not spoken.

“Oh-ho, what’s this? Are you perhaps… jealous? Ferain Hirigaya, do you hate the idea of somebody else looking at my body?”

“Shut up.” Fera said, blushing brightly and looking away. “Come on, we’ll get left behind.” she continued, walking by Anita at a quickened pace. She was, however, stopped by Anita’s reaching hand. It found her own and gripped it tightly. When Fera looked over her shoulder, she saw Anita’s own crimson cheeks.

“There’s no need to worry about him, or anybody else for that matter.”

“What do you mean?” Fera questioned, but Anita shook her head.

“Nuh-uh. If you don’t know, then I’m not telling. You’ll just have to figure it out.” Anita then ran past her, spun on her heels in front of the door, and put her hands behind her back. She leaned forward a bit and smiled as silver hair fell down around her face. “You’re special to me, Ferain, and I would appreciate it if you would continue to put up with me for a while longer.”

“Special?” asked Ferain, raising an eyebrow.

Anita nodded her head. “Special. So, what’s your answer?” Fera thought for a second, and made sure to take a bit longer than was necessary so that Anita actually seemed concerned. “Oh come on, really? I didn’t think you’d have to take that long.”

“I’m only playing around.” Fera stated, giggling softly. “I thought it would be obvious by now, Anita. Of course I’ll keep you around, as long as you’re willing to have me, that is.”

“Clearly.” said Anita.

“Good. Now that we’re in agreement, we really do need to catch up with the others.”

Fera walked by her partner and held out her hand, offering something that she never would have offered in a million years before coming here.

“Are you sure?”

“Positive.” Ferain answered, and with that, Anita held her hand firmly and the pair continued out into the streets of District-B.

Both parties followed the road to District-C, where they took a bus to the outer edge of the city. There, surrounding the western side of Olirian, was a massive beach with white sand, crystal clear waters, and dozens of other residents of the city running around, playing, or simply relaxing as they soaked up the summer sun. Nets for playing volleyball were set up, which resulted in Fera pairing up with Anita to take on Yarin and a taller, stronger Lilipa. It didn’t go as planned, seeing as Fera had never played before, and Lilipa grew much too tired halfway through the game after using her powers for too long, but they all had fun. Meanwhile, Kiko was laying down on a towel, resting under an umbrella they had rented from a place on the beach. They all played around for a while, and Mana even showed up a bit later. When night came, Anita and Ferain were standing by the water’s edge, their hair blowing gently in the night’s calming breeze, and their eyes staring out at the starry sky reflecting on the ocean surface, as if it was a giant mirror that showed the heavens within it.

The horizon went on forever, appearing as if it was never-ending and limitless. That was life for Ferain at the moment. It went from such a narrowed space to being so open, so free, so full of potential. For the first time since getting her powers, she saw a future for herself, and it was as vast as the world was large.

“It’s beautiful.” Anita said.

“Yeah.” Fera agreed. “Hey, Anita.”

“Hmm?”

“I’m glad I came here. Despite everything, I’m glad I made that choice.”

“So am I.” Anita said, looking over at Fera, who glanced back. Anita’s gray eyes, though in this lighting glowed silver, and Ferain’s gold met and became glued together. Anita smirked and shook her head.

“What?” asked Fera.

“It’s a secret.” Anita answered. “At least for now, I don’t want to tell you.” She said that, but a second after, Fera swore she heard something else, though she was unclear about whether Anita meant for her to, or not. “I think I’ve fallen for you.” was what she thought she had heard.

Fera made no mention of this, and instead, gazed back out at the water. “Me too.” she thought, but she made sure to keep this inside, and to herself. They rented a hotel in that district, not far from the beach, and while she could hear Anita’s soft breathing in the bed beside her own, Ferain did not sleep. She stared up at the ceiling, with everything that had happened so far relentlessly running through her mind. When her eyes were finally growing heavy, she lifted a necklace from the nightstand beside her, held it up, and watched as the vague lighting that slipped in from behind the curtains glistened within the blue, hanging crystal. Her mother’s face came to mind, and for a change, it wasn’t the one she had last seen on the night of the incident. It was of a time before, a time where she was just a little girl with a loving family, a bright future, and no cares in the world. She had no powers, no curse that was set upon her, and no stain on her life.

She saw her mother smiling down on her, the same smile she saw so many times during their horribly short amount of time together. She felt her mother’s love, remembered the smell of her perfumes, and recalled the way she would tuck her into bed and sing sweet lullabies into her ear to help her sleep. Ferain hummed softly while the crystal swung above her face. When all was silent, she felt a tear running down her face and into the hair that was spread out on the pillow beneath her head.

“Are you watching over me?” she asked the swinging blue gem. “Are you proud of me? Or… do you regret that night as much as I do? Do you wish you never tried to save me? I couldn’t blame you if you do.” Fera said, giving a grim sort of laugh afterwards. “It’s not funny, I know that. I’m sorry. I’m sorry you’re not here. I’m sorry we can’t talk anymore. I’m sorry you don’t get to tell me how you feel. But… if you are listening. I want you to know that I am trying to make it right. You sacrificed yourself for me, even if I didn’t deserve it. I want to make you not regret it. I want to make myself stop regretting it. I used to think that I wanted to trade places with you. It should have been me, after all. You could have had another daughter, one that wasn't as broken as I was, one that wasn’t a monster you couldn’t touch or love. I thought that until recently. Broken.” Fera muttered.

She blinked away several tears as she stared at the swinging piece of jewelry.

“I’m not broken, I know that. And I’m loved by a few people, at least. I just want to make your sacrifice worth something. I’m trying…” Fera murmured now, her eyes growing too heavy to keep open. She felt her fingers loosening on the chain of her necklace, felt her head lulling sideways, and noticed that her consciousness was beginning to drift away. “I love you.” she finally said, and then the necklace fell from her hand and landed beside her head. Her arm lowered and in a matter of seconds, she was fast asleep, unaware of any problems in the world, and full of hope for the future.