[https://i.imgur.com/D60sexb.png]

Breaching the entryway to the manor, I’m first greeted by the intense embrace of one lavender haired woman. Not a word had fallen from her lips as she had sprinted headlong for me and threw her arms around me. The gentlest quivering of her body tips me off to her emotional makeup at the moment.

“It’s wonderful to see you, Venna.” I place my hand on her head and gently run my fingers through her soft locks. “It feels like it’s been quite a while, doesn’t it?”

“Khiron…” She mutters, continuing to plant her face firmly against my chest. “I… I’d thought I’d never see you again. I was so scared.”

“Sorry for giving you such a scare. I’ll try my best to make this the one and only time.”

“You’re finally back. Took you long enough.” A redhead comes striding up from behind her.

Marcia makes her way to us with an uncharacteristic smile on her face. Usually she would be positively dripping with a smugness or would come bearing a sadistic gleam in her eye. Yet this time she comes across as sentimental and genuine.

“Here I was thinking you were just going to play hooky on your job.”

“I couldn’t even dream it. The hospital had gladly let me off on good behavior.”

“Of course they would for some goody two shoes like you.”

While Marcia’s smile grows wider, Mercy snickers to herself off by my side.

“Careful there. If I didn’t know any better I’d say that this little event has made you warm up to him.”

“I can greet a friend who’s been through hell and high water without being so accused, can’t I?” Marcia fires back, only lightly flustered.

“So he’s your friend now? I’d say that’s positive development.”

“Master! Master!” Out beyond the foyer comes a desperate voice.

Picking up her dress and running towards me is a cute and innocent woman garbed in a maid’s dress. She brings me into a fresh shock the moment she falls to her knees and latches herself around my leg.

“Master, you’re here! You’re safe!”

“Jupa, you-”

“When I’d heard the news, I couldn’t believe it. I’d rather have heard that the sun had been extinguished from the sky! I promise that I’ll do even better for you! I’ll make you something special tonight and-”

“I’m grateful for your concern, Jupa. But-”

“Master!” Jupa cries out while she begins to sway my leg.

“Khiron!” Venna speaks through her tears, now holding me by my arm, shaking me while in the throws of her intense emotions.

“Master!”

“Khiron!”

“Y-You two! I-”

“Look who’s as popular as ever.” An elegant yet disinterested sounding voice cuts through the clamor of the two who are hopelessly lost in their own worlds. “By the looks of it, you’d might have become even more popular at this point.”

If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

Celine comes out from a hallway and into the foyer with Neptanie in tow. The likes of which is currently struggling to keep herself standing, a heavy sway of fatigue present in her steps.

“I’d dreamed you would return… I’m happy to see it’s more than a dream now.” Neptanie’s tired voice is barely audible among the commotion of the two.

Gratefully Venna and Jupa both slowly come down from their moment. But that doesn’t change the fact that they yet latch onto me tightly.

“I’d say he seems to have become even more popular with you as well, Celine. Given that you’d gone off to visit him plenty while he was out cold.” A snarky accent is found in Plutia’s voice.

“I’d say. You know, he still has a right arm open if you’d like to get your own piece real estate.” Not missing a single beat, Mercy mocks her with a full smirk riding high.

“Shut it. I don’t have time for your shenanigans. I’m taking Neptanie to her room, she needs her rest.”

Quickly turning her back to us with a huff, she commits to assisting Neptanie up the stairs, though Neptanie herself looks back tiredly, seeming to desire to stay and visit.

“A little too cold, don’t you think. It’s not like he’d died or anything.” Marcia’s word serves as a sharp edge. “Maybe after you get Neptanie settled you can come and say hello to him. He deserves at least that much.”

“I supposed I’d might take some time to catch up afterward. But for now I’d might as well say…” She continues her ascent for a scant moment before coming to a pause. Lightly knifing her body, she looks back at me while pink brushes her cheek. “It’s good to see you’re still alive and well. Welcome back.”

Then resumes her support for Neptanie and reconvenes her ascent.

“She’s not entirely a lost cause, maybe.” Marcia mumbles after a solid sigh.

“I think you’re just a bit shy on the conclusion there.” Mercy answers with a tickling of irony.

“I’m beyond grateful for the welcoming and I’d love to spend some more time, but I have something I need to do. Really, I’m a bit of nerves and I know that I won’t be able to rest until I’ve gone about it. I’d ask to be pardoned on my way.”

It’s a little bit of a fight, but I gently pry Venna from my body. Next I give Jupa a subtle sign and help her back to her feet.

“You’d like to see Juna, wouldn’t you?” Asks Plutia, a reluctant slant now drawing near to her lip.

“The only way I can breathe is if I can check on her.”

“Well, she’s locked herself up in her room but… things haven’t gotten any better.”

“As much as it spites me to say it, that’s really how it’ll be.” I rough up my hair a bit and contemplate to myself. “You know, I… have an odd feeling that this isn’t how things are meant to be. Not like this, not for this long.”

“What do you mean?” Venna chimes in, a curiosity full and bright in her lavender eyes.

“It’s… hard to explain. But it’d be right to try.”

I glance from face to face and get my mind together before delivering my thoughts.

“It feels like something more has been wrong. Not in an obvious, apparent way. It’s as if all of what has been happening to Juna, to everyone was never meant to be this way. It feel like I’d woken up on the wrong side of the bed, but rather than just having come into a bad way, it’s as if… I’m in a way that never should have been.”

“That’s a bit… complicated.” Mercy dons her rare, serious disposition, having earnestly listened to me. “If I’m understanding what you’d said correctly; you feel as if you’re not where you should be?”

“That may be a better way of putting it, but it still feels like it’s falling a bit short. Maybe it’s just because of the concussion I’d suffered. Maybe I’m just thinking strangely. Even if my body is fine, I’ve been feeling odd. As if I’m somewhere else.”

“It sounds like something Neptanie would take great interest in hearing for herself. But you shouldn’t worry yourself over it. It’s a lot to spring back from so it makes perfect sense if you’re not feeling yourself right now.” So adds Plutia.

“I can begin to help however you’d want me to. Maybe you just need a bit of care for now. I can draw a bath, make you something to eat, anything you’d ask.” Jupa gives me her kindness in exchange for my shared thoughts.

“I think for now it’s best that I’d go and do what I need to. What I need to for both of our sake. But when I return, I may take you up on your offer.”

“I understand. Thank you, master.” She dips into a graceful bow conflicting wildly with her previous uncontrolled mania.

“For now there’s no use talking about it like this. I’ll do something in the meantime. I’ll be going ahead now.”

The five bid me good luck and I get my start. Fighting against the heaviness now gathering in my chest like a weighted stone, I give my due efforts to replace it with the best outlooks I can bring to mind.

Forward to Juna.