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It’s been a few days since I started staying in this huge house with Noctumbre.
Every night since then I’ve been having dreams about back home. Well, I guess calling them dreams would be putting it nicely since they weren’t very pleasant. I dreamed about being at school but really it just felt like a somewhat distorted version of my memories.
Since everyone thought I was weird I had no friends and I was often left alone to idly doodle in my notebook, but because of that it made me the target of bullying. A group of annoyingly-loud girls who think really highly of themselves, always wearing trendy urban fashions. I never really understand why but one day they decided approached me. I don’t really remember the conversation because it wasn’t worth remembering but I must’ve ticked them off somehow because, after that, they wouldn’t leave me alone.
Some days the teasing would be light and unmemorable and others they would do outright cruel things. There was one instance where during gym class, they stole my clothes out of my locker somehow and tossed them into one of the large garbage bins in the back of the school. I had to get a teacher to help me get them out. Since then they’d always say I smelled bad, even though I bathed regularly.
There were even days where they were in a real rotten mood, so they’d take their frustrations out on me and beat me up during lunch break.
I’d be lying if I said I never wondered why they did these things and why no one thought to help me.
I wondered why my classmates just stared only to look away the moment I looked their way, why the teachers acted so indifferent to my problems and saying things like ‘stand up to your bullies and they’ll never bother you anymore’. I wondered why my mom wouldn’t even notice or say anything if I came home with dirty clothes or bruises, why she always looked so out-of-it all the time.
I don’t really get it. People are really useless I guess.
Maybe that’s why living with Noct doesn’t bother me as much as it should. He’s probably the first person to be this nice to me in a long time.
I’m still a little afraid of him though. I don’t even know what he’s supposed to be.
He calls himself a vampire but I’ve never heard of a vampire with a giant hole in their face and a hunchback—and those big, dark and veiny monster hands of his. I feel like he could’ve easily crushed my hand all the times we’ve held hands, but he never did.
In fact, he’s sitting right in front of me now, holding onto a tea cup that’s too small for his hands so he has to hold it with his pointer finger and thumb.
When he takes sips the tea just gets sucked into the hole in his face. The darkness inside of his face hole was so dark that I couldn’t see inside of the of it, so it looked like the tea was just disappearing.
Is he really drinking it? Isn’t that hole also his eyes, maybe even his ears as well? I can’t imagine what that must feel like.
“Mira? Is there something the matter?” Noct was the first to speak up after an awkward silence.
“Oh, ah. N-no,” I responded. “Sorry for staring. I’m just not used to looking at it.”
“’It’? Ah, you mean my face?
“Yeah. It’s really weird.”
He chuckled. Seems he wasn’t offended, at least.
“That’s right, I’d forgotten humans are very curious beings. It’s their nature to fear what they do not understand.”
He takes a sip before continuing, “That’s why the supernatural have decided to hide away from them. It’s best for both of us if few know we exist. No offense to you, of course.”
“No it’s okay. People are pretty dumb. Even I don’t understand them.” I looked down at my cup. I don’t really like tea but I tried to take a sip or two just to be polite.
“And that’s what makes you interesting, Mira. My appearance would normally frighten any human, but you’re still in my company.”
But I am scared of you. I don’t understand you or this house or wherever weird realm we’re in.
Though, he has been very nice. I guess I can’t judge a book by its cover. For now.
“That’s not true. There’s that gargoyle-thing with the sword that I ran away from when I first got here.”
“I’m sure even monsters would be alarmed by someone holding a sword and walking towards them. That child is a special one, different from the rest of us. But, that’s not important now.”
Noctumbre takes a quick sip. “Mira, I have a huge favor to ask of you. You may refuse if you like but I want you to at least listen to what I’m about to say.”
“Uh, okay,” I replied. I’m a little nervous.
Noct sat back in his chair and looked away for a moment, calling out “Luddiluna, come!”
A moment of silence passed before there was a small black swirl of what I can only guess is magic started to form next to him. From that magic appeared the form of a tiny bat-like lady holding a what looks like a smartphone. She had all kinds of eyes adorned on her body, and eyes with bat-like bodies floating around her as well.
“Ya called, Boss?”
She looked kinda cute, like a cartoon character. She felt very out of place.
“Mira,” Noct faced me, “You know the reason you were brought here, correct?”
“Not really.”
“I mentioned that it was Luddiluna here who brought you. Well, her and another, but that person has gone into hiding ever since you arrived. Do you remember seeing a strange reflection in the mirror through which you entered this realm?”
“Actually yeah, it was like a trick mirror. What about it?”
“That is who I am speaking of. The person who mimicked your appearance is the one who lured you to touch the mirror that Luddiluna made a portal with. Ah, perhaps she should explain.”
Noct gestured to the bat lady.
“C’mon, boss,” the bat lady protested, “Call me Luddi already! You too, Mira.”
“Uh, okay Luddi,” I replied.
“But that’s your given name. It’s difficult to adapt to--” Noct stopped mid-sentence when he felt Luddi’s glare on him. He stayed quiet as she continued.
“Anyways! The reason yer here is all apart of my big plan to find a suitor for the boss here! But I couldn’t just find any gal. They gotta have the qualifications and stuff, y’know.”
“Suitor? You mean like a wife?” I spoke up, “But I’m just a kid. I can’t marry anyone yet!”
“Luddiluna, please! I told you already that a wife isn’t necessary!” protested Noct. His complaint went ignored by Luddi.
“If ya wanna leave, you’ll have’ta makes friends with Doppy an’ all the other folks living in the mansion. But it ain’t gunna be easy. Many of the folks living here ain’t too trusting of humans. Humans got the nasty quality of pokin’ their nose where it don’t belong and stirring trouble if they get scared. The boss’s mansion is a safe haven of sorts, you could say. A safe haven for some very special monsters. I’m sure ya noticed how weird it is for a vampire to have a big ominous hole in his face, right? Monsters like that!” Luddi paused to fly up to my face and held out one of her tiny hands to me.
“So whaddaya say, kid? Don’tcha think it’ll be fun?”
I thought for a moment before answering, “Sure, I’ll do it.”
Luddi smiled big and flew over to Noct, nudging him with her elbow and whispered something I only slightly overheard, “See? Told ya she’s a catch!”
Noct continued to protest against the idea only for Luddi to keep ignoring him.
Honestly, I’m not for the idea either. Not just the getting married bit, but the other thing.
The only reasons I accepted was because it was an escape from the real world and because these guys seem really nice despite everything.
I have no idea what I’m getting myself into, but anything is better than going back home.
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“So,” I speak up to Luddi, who was guiding me down a long hallway of doors, “Who’s Doppy?”
“Doppy’s my bestie! They’re the one who mimicked your reflection in that fake mirror. Me and Doppy are a tag team of sorts, but ever since you arrived they holed up in their room. I dunno what’s up.”
“They? So they’re multiple people?”
“Nope! Doppy’s one person!”
Oh…
Ohhhh, I get it.
“Hey Luddi. You’re not gunna make me actually get with that guy, right?” I had to ask because what the heck.
“Naaaah,” she responded casually, “But you saw how much the boss squirmed in his seat while talking to ya, didn’t ‘cha? Even though he’s against the idea of marriage, he’s still happy to have someone he can relate to. Normally he’s all sad, losin’ himself by looking out the window. It’s the first time in a long time he’s been so talkative.”
“How do I relate to him?”
“Yer both lonely, gloomy-lookin’ and ya got weird skin. I get the feelin’ if you opened up to ‘im you’d get along real quick.”
“I guess that makes sense."
I’m not really sure how to feel about any of that, but maybe it wouldn’t hurt to be a little nicer to him. Maybe.
We stopped in front of a door near the end of the hall.
Luddi rapped on the door with her tiny hand. It made a surprisingly loud-enough knock.
“Doppy! Doppy, ya there?” Luddi called for her friend, but there was no answer.
We waited for a moment before the door made a click, opening slowly to reveal a pitch black darkness, similar to the hole in Noct’s head. Any light coming from the hallway didn’t seep into the room.
For some reason, I felt a little scared.
Luddi floated into the darkness alone. I hesitated to follow suit and just waited at the doorway.
I waited for a moment, thinking it was weird that Luddi didn’t say anything, then I called out to her.
“Luddi?” No response.
“Is everything okay?” Again, no response. This only made me more scared.
As I try work up the courage to walk into the darkness I feel a sudden pressure against my stomach. I look down, and see a large black hand jutting out of the darkness and holding onto my torso.
Crap crap crap!
What do I do, what do I do? Should I try to pry it off? Will that even help? What if that makes things worse? Am I gunna die? I’m dead, right? No no no I can’t die yet. C’mon, think. What do I do?
My whole body froze as my mind ran in circles of thought. I didn’t even notice that the hand was pulling me gently into the malleable darkness.
I closed my eyes tight, pretty sure I started crying too.
I didn’t know what was happening.
Luddi and Noct didn’t tell me about any of this.
Someone please help.
Help me.
Please.
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I wake up to pitch blackness. I don’t remember falling asleep.
It’s so dark I start to wonder if I’m even physically here until I touch my face.
Yep. I’m still here.
I stand up and look around. “Luddi?” I call out, “Luddi are you there?”
“Luddi’s here,” a voice responds to me. Sounds kinda familiar but I’m not sure why.
“Really? Where is she? And who are you?”
“I’m Mira.”
“What do you mean you’re Mira? That’s my name!”
“No, I’m Mira.”
“No, I’m Mira! Cut that out! Just tell me where Luddi is!”
A brief pause, and then a response. “Aren’t you scared?”
Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
“Scared of what?”
“Scared of being alone, alone with all these strangers. Don’t you miss home?”
“I...that’s none of your business.”
“But it is my business.”
“No it’s NOT. You’re not me, okay? Stop it.”
“Don’t your friends miss you? What about your family? Your mom, she must be worried sick about you.”
“If you were really me, you’d already know the answer to all of that.”
“Oh,” The fake Mira mumbled, “That’s sad.”
“What?”
“Nothing! Nothing, never mind.”
What in the world is going on here? Why’s there someone saying they’re me, and where did Luddi go off to?
“Mira? Mira!” Just then I hear Luddi’s voice, but it sounds far away.
“Luddi? Where are you?” I call out.
“Mira! Hey c’mon, wake up!”
“What? But I am up?”
I feel a gentle slapping sensation against my cheek that catches me off guard. It feels like tiny baby hands pressing against my face.
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And then suddenly, the room is completely lit and I see Luddi hovering over me. For some reason I’m on the floor again.
“Mira! Thank the Creator, yer okay!”
“What just happened? Where are we? Why am I on the floor?”
I look all around the room. We’re in a well-furnished room, kinda like a living room, except there’s also a bed tucked away in the corner of the room.
“You told me ‘ta get snacks to meet up with Doppy an’ when I came back you were on the floor passed out! You feelin’ alright?”
“Huh? I didn’t say any that. You went into the room by yourself. A weird black hand grabbed me and I freaked out. I guess it scared me so much I passed out.”
Luddi makes a troubled groan, “Dang-it, Doppy. Don’t tell me you ran off lookin’ like Mira.”
“What does that mean?” I ask.
“Ya see Doppy’s a doppelganger, a shape shifter. They got the power to imitate folks almost perfectly. Usually I can tell which version is the real Doppy but I guess I wasn’t expectin’ them to mimic you. I did notice they was bein’ extra nice, nicer than you even.”
“What, I’m not nice?”
“Well, ya do got a bit of a mouth on ya. Ain’t too cute, y’know.”
“Yeah okay. Anyway, so there’s someone running around the mansion looking like me. Let’s go find her already.”
Luddi giggled at my retort, which made me feel a little angry.
“What’s so funny?” I huffed.
“Ah nothin’,” Luddi said as she floated towards the door, “Yer right. Who knows what Doppy’s doin’.”
As we walk back down the hallway towards the living room, my mind couldn’t stop going in circles again.
The idea of someone who looked like me doing things while pretending to be me scared me quite a bit.
I don’t even know this person, so why? Why are they doing that? What do they have to gain from something like that? What if they do something that gets me kicked out of the mansion?
I don’t wanna go back home.
“Mira?” Luddi had stopped in front of me, looking concerned.
“Y-yeah?”
“You okay? Your face looked real intense just now.”
“Yeah. I’m fine.”
Luddi gave me a look. “Hey, the boss left me in charge’a you, and yer still a kid and all so if there’s somethin’ botherin’ ya go ahead and spit it out. Aw right?”
I took a deep breath before responding, “Yeah, sure. Let’s deal with this first though.”
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The two of us walk into the living room to find Noct talking to someone.
It was the other Mira!
“Hey!” I blurted out. The two of them faced us, the fake Mira looked surprised and quickly ran off out of the room from the other side.
“Hey, stop!” My body acted before I could think and I gave chase.
Right now I couldn’t give a rat’s tail if this was Luddi’s friend. They shouldn’t be going around pretending to be someone else. That’s just weird!
And besides, I’m a newcomer here. What if this person is trying to ruin my reputation, the reputation I’m not even sure I even have yet?
Everyone was so nice to me, nicer than anyone has ever been to me before, and…
No.
Chill out, Mira.
Talking things over will most likely solve everything. Everything’s going to be okay.
Not that I’ve calmed down, I notice those bat eyeballs from before flying along side me. I look behind me and see Luddi tailing not too far behind.
Before long, we stopped at a dead end of a hallway. Fake Mira looked at us with her back against the wall, with a creepy black smile on her face.
“Doppy!” Luddi cried out, “You can’t go around pretendin’ to be Mira!”
“Why not?” they responded. Even their voice sounded like my own.
“B’cause, uhhh,” Luddi paused, as if trying to find a reason as to why pretending to someone is bad, but turning up with a blank.
I speak up in her place. “Because it’s really weird! So stop it!”
“Really?” Luddi and Doppy both look at me with shocked expressions.
“Yes!” I pause, realizing my voice is a little loud from frustration. I take a deep breath before continuing.
“It’s just that’s who I am. You can’t just decide to be me. Only I can be me, no one else.”
Doppy’s expression looked sad. Well, I say ‘sad’, but what their expression was actually a bit hard to describe. Tears were forming in their eyes, but only one eye. The other eye seemed like it was trying to mimic the other eye but failing miserably. Tears only really came out of their left eye and the right eye’s tears looked like pigments on their skin.
“What if I don’t wanna to be me?” Doppy says through their tears, clinching their fists, “What if being me sucks?”
“You think being me is any better? I’m just some loser with no friends.”
“But you’re really cute, just like Luddi! And Luddi doesn’t mind me copying her.”
“Yeah well I’m not Luddi.”
“Yeah, that’s really cute,” Luddi mumbled under her breath.
“I heard that.”
“Nuh-uh,” Luddi said with a snicker. “Still, looks like Doppy took a liking to ya. What d’ya think we should do?”
I take a moment to think. “She just wants to be cute, right? Why don’t we try making her a body that’s cute?”
“How d’we do that? That sounds hard.”
“Well, since they just copied my image in a mirror, maybe it works like that. I could try drawing something. Do you guys have a pen and paper I can borrow?”
“Boss has some in his study. I’ll go grab some real quick! Don’t go nowhere!”
Luddi and the flying eyeballs that followed me fly off back down the hall quickly. I was left alone with Doppy and an awkward silence.
“Hey, uh, sorry for yelling at you,” I say.
Doppy shakes their head, wiping the tears from their one eye. “It’s okay.”
“So, you really think I’m cute?”
Doppy vigorously nodded their head. “Yes! I do. You and Luddi both are everything I wish I looked like.”
“What do you normally look like?”
Doppy sighed, before their body warps and twist into a much larger, darker shape than my body. Very quickly, they had turned themselves into a towering, black blob-creature thing with a huge yellow eye.
“Oh,” is all that can think to say.
“Yeah. I’m really boring-looking, huh? Not cute at all.”
“I don’t think anyone I’ve met here so far is boring-looking. But, I’ve also never seen people like you guys before either.”
“I’m back!” Luddi yells from down the hall, flying back towards us with an empty, yellowed notebook along with a very old-fashioned fountain pen and ink bottle.
“Wow, this stuff is old.”
“Boss doesn’t get out much, unlike me. This is all we got.”
I take the pen and notebook in hand and open up on the first empty page and start to draw. Doppy and Luddi hover over my shoulders with anticipation. Normally I couldn’t work like this, but I decided to just put up with it for now.
I start out drawing the shape of a lady, then give her long, dark hair, and a dress. I try to make something would look like Doppy, but as a person. I decided to give the lady a black dress. All this black is starting to feel a bit gloomy, so I decide to add something ‘cute’.
“Doppy, is there something you really like? Something that you’d want to have on you all the time?”
“I really like the flowers that grow in the garden outside. They have big, round petals. I wish I could pick them but the Gardener would get angry at me again.”
I try to add some flowers and flowery accents on the dress, even put a flower in the lady’s hair. Then I realized, I gave her two eyes. Doppy only has one. To fix this, I give her an eyepatch. I remembered Doppy has trouble mimicking eyes so this would be an easy fix.
Feeling like I’ve done a good enough job, I turn around and show the drawing to the others.
“There. How’s this?”
“Ooooh, that’s real good, Mira! Didn’t know ya were an artist!” said Luddi.
“Yeah, that’s really impressive!” Doppy echoed similarly. “Okay, here I go!”
Doppy’s body begins to warp and twist, this time shrinking down into a more human size. They started taking the general body shape and slowly worked out the details of the body.
It took them a little while longer this time. I assumed it’s because they were trying to mimic was an unfinished drawing, instead of something already there and existing.
After a minute they had finally took form. Doppy looked themselves down, and touched their new face with their new hands.
“Mirror, I need a mirror!” Doppy exclaimed nervously.
Luddi produces a small pocket mirror from somewhere on her person and opens it for them.
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Doppy gasps. “Oh. Oh wow! Is this really me? I look gorgeous! Ha ha!” An awkward but elated smile spreads across their face.
“There’s still some imperfections in the transformation, though. Like this, look, see?” Luddi slightly lifts the dress from the bottom and points.
“Most humans got legs underneath. It’s just two feet pokin’ out of a blob here.”
“It’s fine! I’m more than fine with this!”
Doppy then throws herself all over me, hugging me tightly. “Thank you thank you THANK YOU!”
“Uh, you’re welcome, I guess,” I couldn’t think of what else to say.
“Let’s go show Boss, Doppy!” Luddi suggests.
“I don’t like that name,” they reply.
“What?”
“I don’t wanna be called that anymore. It makes me think of how I used to be. I wanna be called something else.”
Luddi and I looked at each other, dumbfounded.
“Call me ‘Flower’ from now on, okay? I want to be the lady from Mira’s drawing.”
“Okay, Flower,” I repeat back to her.
“’Flower’, huh. That’s pretty cute!” commented Luddi, patting Flower on the shoulder.
Flower smiled brightly and giggled.
Despite the gloomy exterior, the air about her had completely changed in ways words couldn’t really do justice. When I look at her now, I feel a weird warm sensation build up in my stomach. It’s a feeling that feels new but I know I’ve felt this way before.
In this moment, Flower felt like she was blooming, like her namesake. It sounds weird, but it made me feel a little happy.
But that moment ended as soon as I felt Luddi and Flower staring at me.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“You smiled,” replied Luddi. “You ain’t done that since ya got here. I was thinkin’ ya couldn’t.”
“You look cute when you smile,” added Flower.
Feeling heat rush to my face, I quickly turn around and walk back down the hallway from where we came without a word.
“Ah, wait up Mira!” The two of them chase behind me.
As we walk back towards the main hallway again, it suddenly dawns on me what had just occurred.
Something incredible.
Something probably that could’ve never happened where I came from.
I finally made some friends.