" 'See what you shouldn't do'?" Ava's strained voice echoes her mentors voice in the glimmering alcove "Like polish a stone because a depressed fuck couldn't just say 'hey can you go and leave the village for a bit while I think of a punishment?' I am SO getting Celia back for this!"
The vexed 'self portrayed' victim scrubs the rock roughly, making it shine, shine brighter than it has any right to as it almost blinds her. Fuck! Ava tries to cover her eyes and back away but she ends up falling down quite a few stairs.
With a loud * Thud* Ava's ragdoll experience comes to an end. My pokemon are so lucky to have mini, durable homes… The ground beneath her was soft and gravel-like.
A tall, steelish-black haired man strolls up to Ava. "I see my other half didn't tell you about the blinding… I apologize on his behalf." The man's voice didn't demand respect, it was simply earned.
Ava looks up to see a version of Keta who looked like he was in his late twenties rather than his late twilight. "Why do I know that you aren't the same Keta from the village?"
The relieved man openly chuckles at the girl's question. "That's to be expected of who/what you are. But I guess you don't know that." Keta easily plinks Ava off the ground like he was plucking a flower. "We, are Keta. I am the happier, jovial, more handsome side; the one you know is the more so everything else."
The youthful man turns from Ava as he walks away with a smooth rhythm, unlike the Keta in Sheridan who walks with a barely noticeable limp. "Oh, so he is naturally broody." The coral haired shadow slyly remarks.
"Not quite; you and Aelita have been doing well in your attempts to make him smile." Keta seemingly warps the surroundings into something of a quaint beach house. "As you are probably wondering why I am here; we have no firm idea." His hand rolls loosely over the stair railing. "Our beloved mostly definitely knew; but we do not."
Ava's sunburst eyes watch his slightly hunched back. "If you two are still connected, then why does he keep you separated?"
"I'd remind him of our family, how he felt when we lost them."
"Weak?"
The man sighs and hesitates before speaking. "Do you know that he's envious of you?"
The young girl raises a brow. I thought it was more so respect.
"You got up, with your emotions and continue to. Despite the red herring of your friend's death."
"N-no. S-she's… She's dead." Ava's wide dumbfounded eyes are accompanied with a stressful smile born of habit.
Keta hums to himself. "I see, so you have dealt with death close to you. I assure you that your friend is alive, it was for a split second but I witnessed her leaving with someone."
Ava looks down with a face of disbelief. How? W-when?
"I kept this to myself seeing as my other half would've probably waited until after this to verify it but I do strongly believe in my eyes." Keta hesitates before placing his firm soft hand on Ava's shoulder.
"W-what could you possibly-!"
"While I am limited on time I'd like for you to come back one last time." Keta shoves a purple hexagonal crystal into Ava's chest. "Best of luck Ava. Show the world that banter of yours!"
Upon Ava's hands gripping the crystal the rift world swirls around her, the actively wilting composition surrendering its presence to the comparably bleak Amethyst Cave. The sound of a lively breeze rustling foliage now overtaken by the stale cool air carrying expected of the metaphysical tomb.
A loud drumming of feet stops in front of Ava's coral colored curtains. "That rock-" Keta whispers, "You made it into the Grotto!" His voice was half surprise
"Y-yeah." She stutters, her hands tremble against the crystal as her heart beats in over drive; her eyes wide and sunken while her face holds an expecting smile.
Keta examines his graduate's face. "As you are aware it is simply a theory." He walks up to Ava and she hands over the stone without being asked. "One we can verify with this." His candid attitude hums beneath the surface as he jostles the stone. It gleams in the virtually crystalline cavern, one side reflects Ava's conflicted emotions while another reflects Keta's turning torso.
The two jog with half heavy hearts towards the aroma of burning incense, leaving the dusty, rotten egg smell behind them. Keta's footsteps were lighter than the heavy drumming of Ava's own as they matched her racing heart.
Ava's sandals slide to a halt. "s-So…"
Keta stands by the edge, holding the stone. He hums in an affirmative yet warm tone."Fortune favors the follyful minded."
Ava's legs almost give out as Keta reveals the stone, not glowing. W-what does that mean?! W-why do I feel so relieved- DOES THIS MEAN THE SUN BLIGHT IS ALRIGHT?!