Chapter Two: Knotted

May 10th, 2036

Houston Tx

Yozora jolted awake, barely registering the voice of his professor. His mind was elsewhere, weighed down by a knot of anxiety that had settled in his chest. “Another dream,” he thought, “more strange battles with monsters… it feels so real.” Ever since his last birthday, everything had changed. Life felt off-kilter, as if he were on the brink of something monumental. Deep down, he couldn’t shake the feeling that he would soon have to say goodbye to everyone he knew.

His thoughts were abruptly interrupted by a sharp slap to the back of his head, causing his locs to fall forward over his face.

"Yea, Mara," Yozora muttered, unfazed.

His best friend, Mara, was not so calm. Steaming with frustration, she leaned in and yelled, "Zoraaaa! You idiot! Don’t you hear Professor Morn? You’ve been sleeping in class every day! If you don’t pay attention, you won’t graduate!"

Ignoring both the slap and Mara’s outburst, Yozora turned lazily toward the window, resting his right cheek on his fist. The afternoon sun bathed the classroom in a soft, golden light, but it did little to quell the restless feeling building inside him.

Professor Morn sighed heavily, shaking her head in exasperation. "Mr. Tenebris, turn in your project by tomorrow morning. It’s your final paper before graduation."

Yozora barely acknowledged her, giving only a slight nod as he stared blankly out the window. Everything around him felt distant, as if he were moving through a dream. Graduation was the least of his worries. The real question gnawing at him was whether his strange visions were just dreams—or something far more ominous.

The buzzer rang, echoing through the classroom as the final bell of the day dismissed everyone. Yozora grabbed his backpack, slung it over his shoulder, and made his way to the door. As he stepped into the hallway, a familiar, energetic voice cutting through the crowd.

"YO, ZORA! WAIT UP!"

Yozora turned to see his boy, T.LAC, jogging up to him. They exchanged their signature handshake, quick and smooth from years of practice.

"My guy! You ready to roll? Wait... where’s Mara?"

Yozora sighed, shaking his head. "No idea, man. She’s in one of her moods, probably heading to my place to vent to my parents. Let me text her real quick, see what’s up."

He pulled out his phone, typing a quick message. A few minutes later, Mara’s response buzzed on the screen: Yeah, waiting at BBP (Buffalo Bayou Park), hurry the hell up!!!

Yozora facepalmed rubbing his temple. "Yeah, she’s already at the spot. Let’s bounce, T."

As they walked toward the park, T.LAC couldn’t ignore the vibe coming off Yozora, like something heavy was weighing him down. He nudged him. "Yo, Zora, you good? You’ve been kinda off lately. Graduation getting to you? Shouldn’t be, bro. You’re second in our class, right behind Mara."

Yozora rubbed his ear absently as the wind ruffling his locs. He looked up at the sky, his face clouded with uncertainty. "It’s not that, T. I don’t know… this tightness in my chest just keeps getting worse. Something’s telling me things are about to change. Like, big change. And after that, nothing’s ever gonna be the same."

T.LAC scratched his head, puzzled. "Well yeah, dude, we’re about to graduate from Stars Institute for the Gifted! We’re about to hit college—any college in the world! You know how wild it’s gonna be? Parties, new faces, sexy women—it’s gonna be lit, bro. Maybe you’re just excited?"

Wrapping his arm around Yozora’s shoulder, T.LAC grinned. "Look, bro, whatever’s coming, don’t sweat it. know why? ‘Cause no matter what happens, this guy always got your back.”

Yozora chuckled slightly, but the weight in his chest didn’t ease. T.LAC's words were comforting, but deep down, Yozora knew something far more significant was on the horizon—something that even T.LAC couldn’t prepare him for.

Upon reaching the park, the air thick with the scent of rain and the croaking of frogs, Yozora and T.LAC scanned the area for Mara. She was nowhere to be found.

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“Where the hell is she?” Yozora muttered, his words cut off as something caught his eye—a figure in a dark cloak, carrying what looked like Mara draped over their shoulder.

“T, look!” Yozora’s voice was urgent, his heart pounding. “That person—has Mara!”

Without thinking, both Yozora and T.LAC bolted into action, sprinting after the cloaked figure. The stranger noticed them immediately, turning sharply and disappearing into the thick brush that led into the forest.

“Where the hell did they go?” Yozora thought, pushing through the branches and undergrowth. Both he and T.LAC were shouting Mara’s name, their voices echoing through the forest.

“Maraaaa! Maraaaa!”

But their shouts went unanswered, swallowed by the dense woods.

They pressed on, navigating through the thick foliage, until they emerged into an open field. There, waiting for them, was the cloaked figure—sitting casually on the back of Mara, as if expecting their arrival.

In a voice dripping with amusement, the figure spoke, with a sinister laugh. “Zora boy, how long has it been? Five years? No, no, that’s not right… it’s been almost six years! Haha, I can’t believe it’s been that long since I last gazed into those beautiful, starry eyes.”

Yozora froze, confusion swirling in his mind. “Who are you? And why do you have Mara?”

The figure slowly stood, unbuttoning her cloak and pulling down her hood to reveal a slender woman with sky-blue hair and piercing emerald eyes. She wore black shorts that barely covered her, and a skeleton crop top that left her under boobs exposed. Placing a hand over her face, she cackled.

“Who am I? Hahaha, who am I? You should be asking yourself, who the hell are you?”

Her grin widened, but her voice turned cold and calm as she continued. “Now, to the task at hand. I led you here to deliver a message. In twenty-four hours, I’m going to kill this woman,” she said, nodding toward Mara. “If you don’t come for her, I swear on my soul, I’ll make sure she screams in agony until she begs me to end her life.”

Yozora’s heart raced as the knot in his chest tightened painfully.

“Go home,” the woman continued, her tone almost casual, “and talk to Mommy and Daddy about this. Ask them for the truth, or Mara dies. Understand? I’ll send you a location to your phone. You’ve got twenty-four hours... but I’m not a patient person.”

Before Yozora could even process what was happening, the woman grabbed Mara by the arm, her grin returning as she prepared to leave. “Oh, and one more thing,” she said with a twisted smile. “Tell them the Jester, Jezebel, found their puppy.”

With that, Jezebel leapt into the sky, vanishing into the dark clouds above. Yozora stood frozen, his mind racing, the weight of the threat heavy on his chest.

Yozora sprinted home, his lungs burning as he gasped for air. He slammed the front door open and stumbled into the living room, collapsing onto the floor. "MOM! DAD!" he yelled, tears of frustration streaming down his face. "She has Mara! Jester—Jezebel—she took her!"

His mother, startled, dropped the bowl of salad she was preparing. His father burst in from the kitchen, knocking the steaks off the counter in his rush.

"Zora, what’s going on? Who took Mara? A Jester?" his father demanded, his voice tight with concern.

Yozora grabbed his father’s shirt, pressing his tear-streaked face into his chest as he struggled to catch his breath. "Yes," he managed between gasps. "A woman with blue hair, emerald eyes, barely any clothes—she called herself Jester Jezebel. She took Mara."

His parents exchanged a look that sent a chill through Yozora. It wasn’t just shock or worry—it was recognition, as if they had been expecting this day. His mother spoke first, her voice trembling slightly.

"What did this Jester say, Zora?"

Yozora wiped his face, anger replacing his panic. "What did you and Dad do?" he demanded, his tone sharp, serious. "Why did she tell me to ask you for the truth? Mara has less than 24 hours—answer me!" His voice cracked with desperation.

His mother’s face crumpled, a heartbroken expression overtaking her features. "It’s been long enough, I suppose," she whispered, glancing at his father, who gave a slow, reluctant nod.” She took a deep breath, preparing herself.

"Zora," she began, her voice thick with emotion, "I did this for you. For your happiness. Your father and I... we’ve never seen you so joyful these past six years. You’ve made friends, gone to parties, played sports, celebrated birthdays—things we could’ve never imagined for you. But—" she hesitated, tears welling up in her eyes, "—you’re not like everyone else. And neither is T.LAC..."

Yozora and T.LAC stared at her in shock, disbelief written across their faces.

"What do you mean we’re not like others?" Yozora spat, his voice filled with confusion and anger. "Is Mara different too? What the hell is going on?!"

"Watch your mouth!" his father snapped, but the edge in his voice couldn’t mask the guilt.

His mother, fighting back her own tears, placed a hand on her husband’s back. "It’s okay," she murmured, "we should’ve expected this. He has every right to be angry." She turned back to Yozora, her eyes filled with sorrow.

"Zora... T.LAC... neither of you are human," she said softly, the words landing like a bombshell. "There’s a reason you two have always been unmatched at the Stars Institute. You see, you’re Star Crossed—a species created by a secret global initiative called S.T.A.R.S., or Sub-dimensional Tuning and Advanced Resonance Studies. You and a select few others are what’s known as Tuners."

Yozora’s mind reeled, struggling to process the words. His mother continued, her voice steady but filled with regret.

"At S.T.A.R.S., you two were top operatives. But Zora... by the age of twelve, you were the best operative they’d ever seen. You were capable of things that no one else could imagine. And... out of an act of selfishness, we had you both Zeroed."

"Zeroed?" T.LAC finally spoke, his voice hoarse with disbelief. "What does that even mean?"

His mother exhaled, her face heavy with the weight of the confession. "We separated your memories, your powers, your pasts. We wanted to give you a chance at a normal life, a life outside the mission, away from the burden protecting the world. But now... now it’s all coming back."

Yozora’s legs felt weak, his chest tightening even more painfully. Everything he thought he knew about himself—about his life—had been a lie. "Why now?" he asked, his voice barely a whisper.

His mother’s eyes darkened. "Because Jezebel... she’s part of the world we tried to shield you from. And if she’s come for you, it means your past is catching up with you. We have no more time to hide."

The knot in Yozora’s chest twisted as the weight of his parents' revelation settled in. He had less than 24 hours to save Mara, but even now, the ground beneath him felt like it was crumbling. His entire life, his very identity, was unraveling—and he had no idea what he was supposed to do next.