Mitsuki was still processing everything that had happened. Elisa's blow, the surprise, the confusion, and the dizzying mix of emotions that had washed over him... but amidst all that, something else was beginning to emerge, something he hadn't anticipated. As he slowly got up from the ground, he felt a stabbing pain in his chest, but what really disturbed him was seeing his sister broken in front of him, completely different from how he remembered her as a child.
Elisa, after hitting him so furiously, began to break down in tears. Her tears fell uncontrollably, as if the wall of containment she had maintained for so long had completely collapsed. Her face was contorted in a mix of frustration and pain, as if everything she had kept in for a decade was crumbling at that very moment. Mitsuki stood frozen, watching as his sister fell apart in front of him, knowing that words couldn't do everything.
The blow still resonated in his chest, but the surprise of seeing Elisa, the lack of answers, the anguish of not understanding what had happened between them, kept him in a state of confusion. But he couldn't stay still, he had to say something, do something.
With a mix of caution and determination, Mitsuki approached her, unsure whether he should hold her or just stand there, waiting for her to speak. He didn't want to rush, he didn't want to make her feel pressured, but he couldn't ignore the pain in her eyes. He crouched down in front of her, trying to catch her gaze, hoping her eyes would say what words couldn't.
Elisa slowly raised her head, as if she had trouble gathering the strength to face him. Their eyes met, and for a moment, they both stood there, in silence. That look filled with pain, longing, unresolved questions, everything that had been kept hidden for ten years. Time seemed to stop completely as they looked at each other. Neither of them knew where to start, but at the same time, they knew it was time to talk.
“Elisa…” Mitsuki murmured, her voice shaky but determined. “Are you okay?... I... I don’t know what happened to you, but... but you’re not alone.”
Elisa didn't answer right away. She just looked at him, her eyes filled with a mix of pain and regret, as if she wanted to say something but couldn't find the words. Her breathing was ragged, and for a moment, Mitsuki thought that perhaps she didn't remember clearly, or that everything they had experienced now seemed alien, distant.
Finally, Elisa broke into a sob, her body shaking from the weight of everything she had been holding in. Tears fell steadily as her voice, barely a whisper, came out in a halting voice.
“Everything happened, Mitsuki…” she said, almost inaudibly, her words dragged out by pain. “So many things that… I didn’t know how to tell you, or how to explain them. It’s been ten years, ten years of… of things that I can’t tell you all at once. The pain, the confusion… it all became so big, so overwhelming… and I don’t know how to explain it to you, how to make you understand.”
Mitsuki felt his heart sink as he listened to her. There were no words that could do justice to what he must be feeling. He didn't know what had happened, or why everything had changed so drastically between them. He thought that perhaps the reunion would be full of questions, but the depth of the suffering Elisa carried with her left him breathless.
He couldn't just stand there, doing nothing. He approached her slowly, unhurriedly, and put a hand on her shoulder, trying to offer some comfort. He didn't know what else to say. All he could do was be there, like he had promised earlier.
—I... I don't know what happened, Elisa, but now that I found you, I'm not going to abandon you. Whatever happened, it will heal.
Elisa raised her head, looking at him with those eyes full of anguish, but also with something else. It was a lost look, as if she couldn't believe that he was really there, in front of her. Her mouth trembled, as if she wanted to say something more, but again, the words didn't come out.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity of silence, Elisa whispered, her voice breaking:
—I always wanted to find you, Mitsuki. Ever since that time... I always wanted you to know that I didn't forget you, that I didn't leave you behind. I... I asked Allivy to find you, to find Antho too, but you didn't show up, until now. I didn't know if I'd ever see you again.
Mitsuki's heart skipped a beat. The mystery of that "I always wanted to find you" hit him hard, but the reference to "that time" intrigued him even more. What had happened then? What had caused them to part ways?
Elisa, seeing the confusion on his face, lowered her head, as if she were also struggling to find her own answers. Her voice became even softer, as if she was afraid someone else might hear.
—I can't tell you my version now, Mitsuki... I'm not ready. But what I do know is that, despite everything, I was always looking for a way to see you again. To find out what had happened to you.
Mitsuki didn't know what to say. For a moment, everything he thought he knew about his life, about what had happened before he came to Earth, fell apart. And all that was left was this woman in front of him, his sister, with whom he shared a bond so strong but so broken at the same time. It shocked him to see her so broken knowing her characteristic strength that he knew.
He stood there in silence, staring at her, waiting for the pieces of his past to fall into place at some point. But for now, all he could do was be there for her.
Elisa, after a long moment of silence, looking at Mitsuki with a mixture of sadness and curiosity, finally dared to ask for something else.
“So, tell me, what was your life like since you were no longer in Gloomoria?” she asked, her voice soft but full of interest. It seemed that the distance of the years had not erased her desire to understand everything that had happened with her brother.
Mitsuki was silent for a moment, staring at the ground. There were so many things he didn't want to relive, memories that still haunted him, and even more that he couldn't quite remember. Uncertainty tightened his chest as he thought of all the shadows of the past that still haunted him. He had lived through so much, but at the same time, so little seemed clear.
“Okay…” he finally said, his voice a little shaky as he looked up. He sat down next to Elisa, trying to gather his thoughts, but the anguish continued to cloud his mind. “I don’t know where to start… There were so many things… and so many others that I don’t remember well, or that I don’t want to remember.”
As he spoke, Elisa watched him closely, noticing the discomfort on his face. Although his words were harsh and his tone hesitant, she did not pull away for a second. She did not want to push him, but the need to know more about her brother's life after the separation was overwhelming.
Little by little, Mitsuki began to tell him, not everything, but enough to give him an idea of what his life on Earth had been like, the adventures he had had, the dangers he had faced, and the moments of loneliness and confusion that accompanied it. As he spoke, time seemed to fade away around him, the hours slipping away without him noticing, as if his entire past was concentrated in that exchange of words.
Meanwhile, Alaska, who had been standing there beside Allivy, listening quietly, fell asleep leaning on Allivy's shoulder. The warmth of the moment and the calm tone of the conversation seemed to have completely relaxed her. Allivy, who was still paying attention, smoothed her light blue hair while adjusting her posture to make herself more comfortable, not taking her eyes off the two of them.
Elisa watched Mitsuki intently, absorbing every word, every detail. When he finished speaking, there was a pause between them. Elisa seemed to be processing all the information she had received. Finally, she sighed deeply and, without warning, hugged him tightly.
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—So you went through all that, Mitsuki... —he said with a sad but understanding smile. —Now some things make sense to me. Several things that I experienced, everything that happened to you... It triggered my life indirectly, I'll tell you soon.
Mitsuki didn't know what to say, but Elisa's warm and loving embrace gave him a feeling of comfort he hadn't felt in years. However, after a while, Elisa pulled him away from her, looking at him with an anxious look.
—And Antho? —she asked, almost unable to contain her concern. —Where is our little brother? And... where is he? And the best friend you told me was with you during those times?
Mitsuki frowned, as if thinking of something far away, something difficult to reach. His mind drifted between fragmented memories and lost moments, but what bothered him most was the distance from Antho and his friend.
"I haven't seen them in a while..." she said, somewhat sadly. "But I still have Antho's number. We're still in touch."
The silence that followed was heavy, but just when it seemed like the conversation was going in that direction, a firm, calm voice interrupted.
“That reminds me, I have something to ask as well.” It was Allivy, who had walked over while everyone was so absorbed in the conversation. “Mitsuki, could you introduce the Ectiviland Hotel to Elisa? I think you’d like her to check it out. And tomorrow…” her tone softened with a subtle smile, “I have a surprise for you.”
Elisa looked up, immediately understanding what Allivy was referring to. It was as if something had suddenly clicked in her mind, as if she knew about the surprise Allivy had mentioned. Mitsuki, for her part, sat there, looking between the two of them with a mix of confusion and curiosity. She had no idea what was going on, but for some reason, she felt that this sudden change was important.
"Surprise, what are you going to tell me now?" he asked, still not fully understanding what was happening.
Allivy smiled enigmatically, enjoying Mitsuki's reaction.
—You'll see, tomorrow. Just... go with the flow, okay? —he replied calmly.
Elisa, with a slight smile, nodded, implying that she understood perfectly what was happening. And although Mitsuki still didn't know exactly what Allivy had in mind, the idea of surprise left him confused, but at the same time with a feeling of anticipation that he couldn't deny.
As the siblings, Elisa and Mitsuki, walked towards the gates of Allivy Palace, the shadow of dusk lengthened on the horizon, enveloping everything in a peaceful atmosphere. Elisa walked beside Mitsuki, chatting quietly as they made their way down the path that would take them into the city. Mitsuki seemed calmer, perhaps still confused by the events of the day, but there was something in his eyes that reflected a sense of relief, as if the pieces of his life were finally starting to fit together.
Allivy, from the top of the palace stairs, watched them in silence, a slight smile on her lips. Her gaze was distant, lost in some private thought as she watched the two brothers walk away, disappearing little by little through the entrance. Time seemed to stop for a moment, giving space to an internal reflection that, although brief, had a deep weight on her mind.
—There is so much to do and say... —she muttered to herself, lowering her gaze slightly.
After a moment of stillness, Allivy turned back to the interior of the palace, where Alaska was still asleep on one of the luxurious couches that adorned the place. With her silver and white hair spread across the cushion, Alaska seemed completely oblivious to everything that was happening outside that corner of tranquility. Allivy crept closer, making no noise, and watched her student sleep soundly.
She smiled softly at the sight of Alaska so relaxed, a complete contrast to the frenetic energy that often accompanied her. With delicate gestures, Allivy bent down and pulled a white blanket from a nearby basket. She carefully spread it over Alaska’s body, gently covering her so she wouldn’t feel cold. Then, from a small bag she carried with her, she pulled out a soft white pajama cap and placed it on Alaska with unexpected tenderness, making sure it was snug.
Alaska murmured something, but remained asleep, oblivious to Allivy's ministrations. The blue-haired woman looked at her face for a moment, then whispered softly, almost like a sigh:
-Sweet dreams.
With one last smile, Allivy quietly retreated, leaving Alaska to enjoy her rest, while she herself prepared for what was to come the next day.
The next day, Mitsuki was deep in sleep when suddenly there was a knocking at the door. The quick, persistent knocks made him wake up with a start.
“Mitsuki! Wake up!” Allivy’s voice echoed from the other side of the door. “You fell asleep! Hurry up!”
Mitsuki, sleepy and half disoriented, got out of bed, rubbing his eyes. He tried to speak, but his words came out haltingly, unclearly, as he headed for the door:
—Mmm... What's wrong? I'm... I'm... —he said, not understanding much. But tiredness made him a little irritated—. What do you want?! —he said, half angry, opening the door.
Allivy, without losing her composure, said with a knowing smile:
—Look at the window.
Mitsuki frowned, eyes still half-lidded from sleep. She walked over to the window and opened it, not suspecting what she was about to see. When her eyes met the scene outside her room, her face went blank in pure astonishment.
The city was packed, like a carnival, crowds of people thronging the streets. People with cameras rolling into his room and a giant poster with his face in bright letters that read "Mitsuki Sorano, The New Prodigy." Mitsuki froze, unable to comprehend what he saw.
—WHAT’S THIS?! —he shouted, overwhelmed by surprise, and without thinking, he lost his balance and fell towards his bed, stumbling from the impact.
Allivy and Elisa, who were standing next to him, approached the window to see how the crowd was watching him expectantly.
“Look at that!” Allivy said, pointing at the crowd. “All those people are looking at you, Mitsuki! They adore you already!”
Mitsuki, his face red from embarrassment and confusion, tried to regain his composure, but the chaos that broke out outside his window left him speechless. Meanwhile, Elisa couldn't help but let out a soft laugh, seeing her brother's bewilderment.
“Wait!” Mitsuki said, staring at the giant poster. “This was all… planned? Are you using me as a spectacle!?”
Allivy, calm as ever, nodded.
—Yes, this was all planned. What I forgot to mention to you is that the prodigies will not only be trained as powerful beings, they will also become public figures. —he said, as if it were the most normal thing in the world.
Mitsuki, completely stunned, looked at Allivy in disbelief.
“This is crazy! They didn’t tell me anything about this!” he exclaimed, turning to look at Elisa, who was watching him with a smile.
Elisa approached and, with a knowing look, said:
—The good thing is that now you have to do something about all this, right? There's no turning back now.
Mitsuki sighed and ran his hand over his face, still unable to process everything that was happening.
“This doesn’t make sense!” he said, a little frustrated.
Allivy, without losing her playful tone, patted him on the back.
—It's part of the fun, isn't it? Imagine all the things you'll learn while living it. Besides, who wouldn't want to be known?! —he said with a smirk.
Mitsuki, looking out at the crowd still watching him, nodded slowly. Despite what he had just discovered, something inside him told him to keep going. While the chaos was overwhelming, there was also an opportunity here.
Elisa, observing her brother's confusion, said to him:
—The important thing now is that you are in control. Don't worry about everything that is happening. You have time to decide how to use all this to your advantage.
Mitsuki looked at Elisa, then at Allivy, and finally at the city full of people waiting for him. The future of a prodigy, just as Allivy had said, was not only about power, but also about how one presented themselves to the world.
Before Mitsuki could react further to all the chaos, Allivy and Elisa prepared to leave. With one last glance at the crowd from the window, Allivy turned to him with a sly smile.
“Don’t just stand there staring like an idiot!” she said, a little mockingly. “You have to come down. You have a presentation to give.”
Mitsuki, still stunned by the crowd's surprise and the giant poster of his face, looked at them in disbelief.
“A presentation? What are you saying?!” he asked, his head spinning. “I don’t even know what to tell them!”
Elisa, smiling knowingly, gave him a gentle push toward the door.
"That's what happens when you become a 'prodigy,' Mitsuki. You can't just sleep all day," she said, as Allivy nodded.
Allivy crossed her arms, watching as Mitsuki tried to process the suddenness of the situation.
“Don’t worry,” he said calmly. “The introduction is simple. Just come out, talk a little, and let them see you. It’s more about your presence than what you say. People will love seeing you. You’ll see.”
Mitsuki didn't have time to think much more. The situation had taken him by surprise, and now, amidst the pressure of the crowd outside, he could do nothing but accept what was coming. His mind was still in chaos, but at least it was clear that he had to get out.
“Come on, Mitsuki,” Elisa said, gently pushing him. “It’s your turn!”
Finally, Mitsuki sighed and looked at Allivy and Elisa, both with reassuring smiles, although knowing it wouldn't be easy.
—Enough, okay —he said, somewhat resigned but determined—. I'll be right there.
Allivy and Elisa, satisfied with Mitsuki's answer, nodded.
—That's it, we'll wait for you downstairs! —Allivy said, before leaving the room with Elisa.
Mitsuki stood alone for a moment, looking out the window at the crowd one last time. The pressure was enormous, but he knew he couldn't stop now. He adjusted his black and purple clothes, took a deep breath, and as he got ready he left his room, determined to face whatever awaited him downstairs.