Bab 23: 4.4 Service

"Nonesense~" Aria jollily denied the accusation as she casually walked towards my defending sister. "Your brother and I simply shared a common interest. Particularly on each other~"

*DRIP DRIP DRIP*

"YOU LIE!"

*CLANG!*

"YOU'VE DONE THIS MULTIPLE TIMES ALREADY!" Lise screamed as she tried in vain to work past her better's defenses. "HOW MANY TIMES MUST YOU DEFILE HIM!?"

A faint hum suddenly appeared inside my head as I tried to process Lise's claims. Me? Defiled?

*TRICKLE TRICKLE*

I didn't remember getting...

*CLAng clang...*

My field of vision shrank by the second, the sounds of fighting becoming muted as I found myself introspecting. Defiled... Brainwashed... That shouldn't be possible. I mean, elemental control couldn't possibly be used for mind-altering techniques, could it?

*TRICKLE TRICKLE TRICKLE*

Brainwashing couldn't possibly be on the table as an option. After all, logic...

*TRICkle trickle*

Logic...

*DRIP drip...*

Logically, it could be possible. But then, the question would then be 'how'? How could elemental control be used for mind-alteration? Let alone water? Lise did accuse Aria of doing the deed- No... what was I thinking?!

*drIP DRIP*

Aria would never do that to me. She was our patron. Our savior. Like the big sister that I never had. Hell, at some points, she had even acted like-

*drip...*

Mother...

The smoldering rage from a few minutes ago reappeared right in front of my mind's eye. A flaming beast with no sense of direction. It felt familiar; like a long lost aspect of my core personality was just beyond my reach. But why? This shouldn't be possible! There was no magic in this world that could possibly make something like this happen.

*TRICKLE TRICKLE*

A leak. The sound of dripping water. Now that I looked at it, there was a steady flow of water circling around the beast; the cool waters suppressing the beast's fiery flames. A dawning realization hit me. What a trope. This experience right now?

I was in a mind palace of some sort.

I found myself chuckling at the phenomenon. This wasn't real. Nope! Not happening! I won't indulge my hyperactive imagination's delusional fantasies! I had bigger things to worry about like how to wake up so I could stop my two precious idiots from fighting.

*HISS!*

Billowing steam erupted from the beast's position; its flames now seemingly fighting back against its watery confines. This was a metaphor of some sort. Of that, I was sure. Why, brain, must you be like this?

*FSHHHHHH!*

Water continued to batter the fiery beast, only for the bird-like creature to flap its wings against the onslaught. To its credit, it seemed to be working.

I sighed as I sat down on the wet floor of my mind palace. Why was I still here? I should be out there right now. On that matter, was I even conscious? Or did I hit my head somehow without me noticing; causing me to fall into unconsciousness? Argh! Why didn't I take Psychology as a course?!

*FSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!*

I mean, it would've been easier for me to pass the damn thing. Then again, the job options would be me just playing guidance councilor or something as opposed to working with metal.

*SCREEEECH!!!!*

Yeah... That would've sucked actually... In fact even the course I ended up taking was stupid in hindsight.

*SQUAAAAACCKK!!!!*

A blazing fire erupted in front of me as the proverbial phoenix freed itself from its watery prison. A blazing heart. A crescendo... pent up rage and frustrations from both the past and the present coalescing into a singular point in my chest. Yeah... I was about to go into a rant... And it would be wonderful!

Right! I never should've gone to college in the first place! It taught me nothing beyond a lot of things I could've learned off the internet for free! And speaking of which, this world sucked! Yep! No internet! No technology! And the food was bland, to say the least! No basic plumbing and sanitary protocol... No medicine No basic logic... It was all illogical!

The incessant dripping had completely ceased to be; what was once a dam now becoming a scorching hot desert. It felt good to rant, far too good that I kept on doing it. Harsh criticisms, sure, but my catharsis needed to be complete. It was unfair, especially since it was a medieval world, but complaining was always a free action, right?

Indeed. This world's just too... Illogical...

I blinked as I caught my mental breath. Shaking my head, I turned my attention to the McGuffin of the hour. Now, what was this phoenix-looking thing supposed to be?

*SQUAAWK!*

Haha. Real funny. Now give me a proper answer.

*SCREECH!*

What do you mean you're my untapped potential? Don't tell me I was some chosen one or something like that.

*SQUAWK?*

Huh?! We never had this conversation before, dumbass! My memory's pretty sharp, didn't you know?

*SCREEEEEECHHH!!!*

Alright! Alright!

I dusted the imaginary particles off my clothes as I stared the flaming chicken down. Apparently, this thing was-

*SQUAWK!!*

-She was my potential made form. Whatever that meant.

*SQUAWK!!*

Fine! I did know what it meant! That didn't mean I think it was real though!

*SCREEEEEEECCCHHHHHH!!!!!!!!*

The flaming bird flapped its wings at me, the gust strong enough to sweep me off my feet. Joy. Guess I angered it.

Well, too fvcking bad.

I felt myself leaving the mind palace; the familiar sight of our shared bedroom greeting me as I came to.

*CLANG CLANG*

In front of me, Lise was still at it; her breathing now running ragged despite her not having a single visible scratch on her body. She was still soaked in water though.

"Had enough?~"

I felt a fuse light inside me. That voice... That damnable voice!

The grip on my katana tightened as I consciously developed tunnel-vision. The goal was clear right in front of me. The claims were true, and I wasn't going to let it pass me by just like that...

"Aria!!!!"

No one messed with my brain, no matter how sexy the perpetrator was going to be.

⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛⬛