Chapter Text
Once upon a time in a place neither near nor far, and a time neither now nor then, there was a simple town. Not too big, not too small, and with one road to both enter and leave. The people of this town could not fathom what would cause someone to leave such an uninteresting quaint kingdom. Just because where they lived was simple, did not mean they were any less interesting. They just spent most of their time admiring the rich scenery that nature has to offer, embraced by the abundant forest, waiting to be explored by the adventurous youth, vividly painted with fleeting dances of the seasons. The townsfolk mostly celebrated during the hot summer for its long days. You see, due to the dense forest that surrounded them, no one ever ventured after dark in fear what lurked in the shadows. They feared the complexity and struggles of the night. No one needed to know. And so, they were happy and alive.
In a particularly long day, the summer gave light to twins at its very end. One was born after sunset and the other before nightfall.
Twilight twins
The twins’ great aunt, who lived just at the edge of the forest, would take care of them in the summer every year since the evening they came to the world. It was such a joy to watch them grow. Like the town, the twins’ only evidence of what hid until the sun slept was in Graunty Willows’ Mystic Cart, though the ‘C’ was faded out most of the time. With Graunty’s plump assistant being a gypsy, or at least that was what she assumed, it was easier to fool tourists, travelers and tramps. No one went out at night, so none were the wiser.
“But they really do exist.” The bulbous gypsy leaned down to whisper at the girl twin. “I’ve seen like these big lights flying around at night, like they’re dancing. Either that or those fireflies are really good with choreography, hu hu.” Graunty passed by and shot a glare at her assistant, but the gypsy(?) only “huhu’d” and pat the older woman’s arm.
Graunty grunted and groused, “Don’t put things inside that girl’s head.” For a curious little thing, she was.
Every night, the bedtime stories told by their parents were a reminder that little kids should not go outside so late. Stories of monsters and nothingness consuming children, creating the black void of the night. Monsters would take any shape to fool children and ask unanswerable questions, so one could lose track of their way home. If they ever see one, they must cease their identities for names and titles are powerful spells. After their parents finished the stories, they kissed their little heads and left them to tremble in the dark. It was not dim for too long for a blue light illuminated through the twin bedroom window. Not able to be willfully ignorant any longer, Ursa was careful not to wake her twin as she climbed off the bed. She tiptoed down the stairs, making sure her breath matched the silence. Once at the backyard, she followed the pretty blue lights that resembled the stars in the sky.
“What are you doing?” Came a whisper from the male twin standing on the porch. “We’re not supposed to be out.”
Ursa quickly stood up. “I thought I saw a fairy…”
“Probably fireflies silly dilly, I think. It could be dangerous.”
“But Marble, look up!”
He did as he was told but didn’t see anything special about the night sky. It was inky, ugly to look at, saved by the few spotted lights. But in those lights there were twinkling patterns. Marble looked closer and shockingly made discovery after discovery. Stars speckled the normally empty void. Beyond that, dusty colorful clouds clashed and collided, spreading vivid particles on contact where different worlds meet and unlikely friendships flourished. Luminescent spirals gently rotated like shiny dewy flowers. He raised a hand to make a black silhouette among the pretty lights that reflected on his wonder-struck eyes. He wanted to be part of that wonder, that world when the days are veiled upon with a black film. Marble took back his hand and glanced to his sister, taking hers. That night they shared a dream together.
The sky is full of marbles
Despite everyone’s warnings and efforts, Ursa took it upon herself to journey out once more after awaking with a jump, curious of a cry that she swore had called out to her. She shook her twin but he only limply mumbled. Again, she heard the small cry of help clearly, as if it were in her room but no one was there. Wrapping herself in her favorite scarf and with a practiced skill for wanting to see the stars out, she snuck out the house with ease. It took no task to walk around town without getting caught; no one ever went out at night.
Upon reaching the towering pine trees guarding the forest entrance, the little curious girl was contemplating whether or not she should enter. During the day, their branches looked like they embraced the town, but at night, it looked like they wanted to snatch her away. The girl huffed and braved through the entrance despite the slight fear, she couldn’t just sleep knowing someone was calling for help. Dodging a few spider webs that hung on loose branches and climbing over hollow logs, little Ursa felt a bit proud of her independence through the dark night and she couldn’t wait to tell her brother. She jumped with a squeak when she snapped a twig, though. She’d leave out that part.
Trying to go through some thick bushes, she tripped and slid down from a steep hill. Rolling down, scraping knees and finally falling with a thump next to a nest. It was barely whole with straws strewn about. Not far from it, laid a baby black bird weeping and shivering. Ursa quickly unraveled the scarf off her neck and nestled the little fuzzy bird with it.
“Did you know I was coming?” Ursa sweetly asked as she hugged the baby bird close to her soft, fluttering heart. “Don’t worry, I’ll save you.”
A bustle sound of the bush she fell through was heard and the girl quickly stood. It must’ve been the monsters, they were going to take the bird away and now her, she began to run. It was foggy where Ursa fell and she was struggling to see through the mist. It was also difficult to carry a bundle of fluffiness in her tiny arms, but managed to avoid oaky pillars and snapping twigs that would alert her whereabouts. Little Ursa quickly glanced behind; the monsters were there, she just knew it. Suddenly the sky got darker; the stars were clouded by inky powder clouds.
Without any light to guide her, the little girl panicked and hid behind a large hollow trunk. Hushed, hurried whispers hastily bit at each other from behind Ursa. Whiny croaks came from the panicking baby bird, Ursa tried to calm it down but she ran again, it was too late. She was met with a dead end when she encountered an endless wall of bramble blocking the way. Should she go left or right? There wasn’t enough time.
A ball of light emerged from the thick bramble and the thorny tendrils made way for the girl to pass. Ursa still had to squeeze through but something caught her shoulder and tugged her back. The bramble closed upon hearing the child’s scream, tearing whatever snatched on the poor thing. With barely any breath, the little curious girl gasped when she saw what lay beyond the bramble and ignored the warm liquid running down her arm.
As she followed the blue glowing orb that saved her life, it guided her through a beautiful garden with glittery green grass and sparkling leaves. Monstrous sized hedges shaped like deer, stag, moose and the likes, frolicked about the garden or fed on the pasture. The ones with heart shaped roses on their necks were males, Ursa noted. They curiously nuzzled at the girl. Flowers twinkled to life and whispered sweet compliments as Ursa passed them by. Giggling and writhing their petals when Ursa tickled them. Beyond the glowing daisies was a grand, gorgeous manor. The ball of light beckoned the little girl in front of an open window. The glass pane was open short enough for Ursa to lift her knee up. Just using one arm to hold the bird, she crawled onto the long chair that lead to the open window. She shifted to dangle her petite feet off the seat and dropped down to the floor. Little Ursa smiled when she saw the blue wisp fly around her head which left a bit of dust on her. Her nose became itchy and she sneezed. It then hovered to a lantern that quaintly looked like a birdcage with a handle, once inside it made their surrounding clear. Its iridescent, glassy fairy wings poked out of the lighting trinket and happily hovered around the room. Ursa looked around with so much awe.
With the help of the fairy, the girl realized she had entered in a room that had lots of books. It had a towering ceiling that seemingly took shape of the night sky and its constellations. Two bookcases were the size of the walls that paralleled each other, little Ursa looked at a book that had beautiful turquoise leather as its cover with the title “Evening Star” but had no author. All the books seemed to have no author, she noticed as she clumsily started to randomly pull out books. Upon dropping a particular brown book a cascade of papers followed after and shot out, sputtering at her face. It was like a broken pipe spurting water wildly, so she bent down and put the bird next to her on the floor so she can pick up after her mess. Ursa plugged it back up with a book.
“How cute!”
Ursa immediately dropped everything and frantically looked around. Scouting where the voice came from, there was only a dark wood desk with large piled, yet neatly tucked stationaries on the surface. Behind the desk were two paintings of women looking out their windows.
“You mean how quaint. Look at the dirty thing.” One of the paintings spoke. It was the woman in a lilac dress with skin as dark as the ebony wood frame keeping her up.
“Poor little one. Aw, we can’t just leave it like that.” Said the other painting. A woman in a rosy dress with skin as light as the ivory frame that kept her up on the wall. She rang a tiny golden bell that was in her framed room.
Copy and pastel
Upon doing so, Ursa felt a light tap on her shoulder and turned her head to see a man in a tan suit. She immediately backed away from him, not because of the apparent arrival but the fact that there was nothing above his collar! “Come now, little lady.” Ursa shook her head. “Now just because I lost my head doesn't mean I’m any less of a gentleman,” said the headless man as he propped his hands on his hips. “Don’t get too ahead of yourself, I’m here to help,” Ursa giggled as he kept saying silly head puns. He knelt down and suddenly she felt something touch her shoulder, like a wet tissue licking her wound. The little girl rubbed her newly closed wound. “Now I know what you’re going to ask, and yes, you may touch my face.” Ursa did what she was too shy to ask and only caught air above his collar. After the headless man deemed his task done, he walked back to a corner and remained still, lifeless, almost as if he was furniture.
A loud clink of a doorknob opening made Ursa go grab her bird, hugging it protectively. Through the opening door came a beautiful, luminescent lady. Her entire being illuminated pleasantly. “You found my… How did you…?” asked the evangelic woman in a gentle, sonorous voice. She was intrigued, at a loss for words. Evenly gliding her steps, the luminous lady made way to sit on her plush, velvety, cushioned long chair.
“Your house is pretty.”
“This isn’t…” The woman trailed off once more. Ursa lifted and tilted her face. “Never mind that. Sit child, sit.”
Once seated, the woman took off her white coat and straightened it in the air until it became a tablecloth for a table that wasn’t there. The little girl, ever curious, peeked under the covers to find table legs. When she brought her head up, tea cups and cup plates with cookies and cakes were already set. Ursa eagerly plucked a strawberry tart while the humble host patiently waited.
There was a teapot that sat in the middle, instead of hissing and whistling, it hummed and sighed almost dreamily. Its snout blew steam that formed into ever changing colored cotton clouds, to which a green cloud poured scalding rain on Ursa’s teacup. The woman immediately sipped her tea given by a blue cloud. “Are you an angel?” The innocent girl in the torn nightgown asked.
“You could say that, though that’s a first.” The woman smiled patiently.
“A fairy godmother?” Asked the girl again as she fed shortcake crumbs to her bird, and then placed it on the table. She cautiously took a sip of her tea.
The woman was rubbing circles above her eyebrow, “He’s a boy bird.”
“How do you know?”
“Do you only ask questions?” Despite her even tone Ursa did not miss the silent, sharp sigh, but then the light around the woman became invitingly brighter. “Call me what you like.”
“Okay, Angel.” Little Ursa went around the table to hug the angel. Her glow was warm and ticklish. She then curiously slipped a hand under the angel’s hair that covered half of her face and softly gasped when all was felt was odd bumpy skin.
“And what may I call you?” questioned the angel, who cradled the girl in her arms fondly.
The girl thought about it for a moment, “Ursa Willows. Do people come here a lot?”
“Oh.” Pouted the angel. “I hadn’t gotten any visitors for too long. It’s like they avoid me like the plague,” she drawled if a bit with faux drama. “But how did you brave the night, child?”
“Mama said I was born at night.”
“Ah, that’s a good thing. Everything that is magic comes from the night.” The angel said matter-of-factly, but the girl’s eyes widened unbelieving. “Oh, of course you are.” Angel chuckled. “But you must return home. Here…” Ursa’s angel sprinkled sparkle dust around her and she sneezed. A golden thread manifested from Ursa’s nightgown and began to sow itself together, making additional golden swirl designs on the white fabric.
It was time for them to leave, Angel warned, she picked up the girl and covered her eyes. “Wait! My bird!”
Once outside, the angel granted Ursa’s vision back. The little girl could at least say goodbye to the flowers but Angel hushed them to sleep as they passed by the garden. Thorny thick bramble opened a way for them and they were instantly greeted with the edge of the forest.
Between the spiky tendrils Angel heard crunches and snaps, “At least I don’t have to feed you.” She proceeded to follow her hovering night light. Through the lantern lit town, all the way to Ursa’s cute cottage. Morning was already shying its way up to the sky.
Ursa clutched the scarf in her arms. “Angel, I did a bad thing… What if nothing goes right?”
“Another question,” Commented the angel with a sigh. “Do not worry. Come to me and I shall chase your nightmares away.” Angel lightly poked Ursa’s blushing nose and put her down. “Starting now.”
Even with the door closed, Angel’s last words echoed through Ursa’s home. Everything was dead silent, everyone must be sleeping, she thought. Ursa helped herself to the cupboard to get some cookies for breakfast. She of course shared some to her baby bird, who chirped happily. He had an odd grey spot around his left eye which Ursa snorted, it looked like a monocle.
Her tiny, pale fingers drummed along the wooden table. Why has nobody woken up yet? Ursa wanted to tell her brother of how she saved a bird and then was saved by an angel. She huffed; she could not wait any longer. So she energetically hopped up the stairs and went to her room. Ursa entered the bedroom, cautiously looking around, only to find that her brother wasn’t there.
The little girl flinched when her closet drawer opened, “Ursa?” said Marble. He frowned when he saw the little black bird in her arms but he was relieved to see his sister, “Where were you? Mama and Pa… They said you weren’t coming back. B-but they went out to look for you anyway.” He began to tremble. “D-did, monsters…”
“I ran away from monsters!” Ursa scratched her shoulder. “They’re strong, I bet they can kill... one monster…” Unwanted thoughts were fortunately trailed off when her brother put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “Marble they’re okay. Let’s wait.”
But nobody came.
With the somewhat loving care of their great aunt, Ursa’s heart glowed ever so grim and Marble used his strength from their loss, to protect his other half. It was a shame that she couldn’t get out without having her brother being worried sick about her. But thanks to him she never wandered into the dark again, so she could grow up safe and beautiful beside her brother. And grow beautifully she did.
One might think that being cooped up for ten years might have slightly deterred the girl’s sanity at least, but she always found a way to be happy. Her nights usually began when the sun set. Its absence revealing its distant brothers, and only then, she would languidly rise from her bed. She waltzed around about the room to make way to her mirror. She took a good look at her dark, veiny patch of skin under her doe eyes. As Ursa tied her hair up into a bun, she pondered about her features like she did every night. If you asked her, she would very much wish to be as fair as her peers. Once her hair was done and her bonnet was on Ursa lit up her lantern to go out in the backyard to tend her garden. It was a small thing, nothing special. They bloomed at night, just like their maiden that takes care of them. She could not wander off for too long, if not her brother would worry, so Ursa went back inside.
She then thought about the letter that she had received from a distant friend a couple days ago. Some say it’s someone who sometimes subsist just within the tendril tips of this actuality. Whatever that meant. Maybe because she traveled a lot, Ursa reasoned.
Again in her room, Ursa sat at her desk, next to her stained window to read her letter once more. Ursa’s friend wrote about another day of her life with an old relative. Ursa thought that her friend should write a book about the adventures she would make up, they were quite creative. Sometimes Ursa believed these stories, it was not like she had gone out to know. She remained here.
The lonely girl peered up from the stationery and gingerly plucked a flower that sat upon her vase. Her eyes shifted to view outside the window and she would make it a game to guess the weather, just to pass the time faster. Yes, for ten years, this is all what Ursa ever did. After watching the sky for so long, she pushed up the window to get some fresh air and upon opening it, came in a rather large black bird. But the girl knew all too well her companion as he perched on the windowsill.
“Oh, Sways…” She sighed, a small smile graced her lips. “Come, my love.” After beckoning, the raven hopped onto the young girl’s lap and she began stroking his sleek feathers. “You know I love you,” she cooed sweetly.
Sways almost purred, ruffling his inky, black feathers and playfully poked at the girl’s fingers with his beak. Those are Ursa’s favorite moments, spending time with her wonderful life companion. The loneliness was a bit too suffocating when Marble wasn’t around. A hauntingly happy lullaby escaped through Ursa’s lips and the raven followed by moving to and fro along the somber tune. It was an oddity that Ursa thought how it would be like to dance with the black bird, but she was satisfied to rock along with him.
There came a soft tapping on the bedroom door, both girl and bird stilled their forms. There, Ursa’s other half peered through the door.
“Hey! I hope I didn’t interrupt anything.”
Ursa laughed under her breath, “No, brother, at least not to me.” She childishly played with Sways feathery limbs. “He, on the other wing, is not too happy.” Marble and Sways visibly cringed.
“You talk to him as if he understands you.” He jumped a little from the raven’s ‘random’ squawk, they never got along, even in all these years. They almost cartoonishly glared at each other before Sways scoffed and flew out the window. The girl twin giggled at how immature those two were. Now with the damn bird out of the way, Marble sat next to his twin to grab her hands and kissed them. He gave her a dazzling smile that fit so well with his ever present flush on his cheeks, but he kept his eyes down. “Ursa, you know I try my hardest...” He paused. “I did promise that we would never be apart. I’ve been putting it off, but I can’t any longer. I don’t have the money and you can’t live like this.”
Ursa was silent. She thought they were going to have a lovely sibling bonding but instead, he was just going to send her off. Ursa understood that her twin always worried about her, but she just couldn’t leave her brother. Before she could comfort him, Marble abruptly got up.
“You’ll be going to Graunty’s first thing in the morning. So please, just this once, sleep tonight.” And with that, he left.
Oppressed by negative thoughts, Ursa felt that she was a burden to her own brother. But they couldn’t be apart, they never were. What would Marble do? She couldn’t live with herself knowing her other half was in the streets. Ursa had to find help, but the only one person she knew was Angel. The insomniac girl grabbed her thick scarf, softly tiptoed down the stairs, and then ran off to the woods.
Upon reaching the entrance of the forest, Ursa stopped and began to grow weary. She braved through those woods before, but she now knew there were consequences. Ursa licked her lips and hesitantly began to enter the beckoning wall of skeleton trees. Sways flew ahead of her, perching from branch to branch and waited for her. The insomniac girl at least wasn’t all alone. Traveling through the forest at night, almost felt like reliving a dream, though she tried not to daydream or else she would be distracted and most certainly get lost. She safely took the decision to just walk in a straight path. The young girl tried to recall how she found the manor in the first place. She climbed through a window, but that was not it. A fairy wisp guided her because she couldn’t get through the bramble because…
HARKK!
Taken aback, Ursa flinched and fell on her behind. “Sways!” She harshly whispered to which the raven replied with a loud squawk. A rustling sound of a bush caused the girl to guard up, but the sound faded like if it ran away. Ursa got up and hastily made a makeshift nest with her scarf. “At least stay close to me.” The black bird complied, diving down and tucked himself in her arms.
Now with her knight in shiny black feathers in her arms, she felt protected. She was still unforgivably lost. Wait, lost? The young girl looked around and realized she lost track of her straight path, but she couldn’t give up now. Filled with determination, Ursa aimlessly wandered the dark pine maze. As she ventured further in, the air grew thicker it was odd, as if she felt it before… But her thoughts were cut off when she spotted a clearing in the woods. She headed towards the empty space that was quite large and it was connected by a path. Oh, the luck this girl had. In the clearing laid a marooned, coppery carriage with no wheels. No horse. It wasn’t abandoned and that was the weirdest part, two coachmen cheerily sat on it as if they were reining horses.
Ever curious and in need of directions, she went to the odd couple. Once close, she took in their features before speaking. There was a dark skinned man with honey brown curls, dapperly dressed with a black vest complete with a top hat. And next to him, oh God. It was a woman in a black dress with visibly stretched and pallor skin that poked out of her corset, sleeves and a black shawl. It covered her face, but not the sagging skin. How? The ghastly women’s neck seemed long and craned down since her back was hunched, though Ursa was not entirely sure, but the black fabric that lay on the woman gave enough room for imagination.
Ursa tilted her up, the coach’s seat was unreasonably high, it was almost as tall as the trees. She apologized for interrupting their chat and asked if there was a manor in the woods, but how she manage to get their attention with her feeble voice, she will never know. They laughed a bit too low, most likely trying to keep it in. But Ursa could not help but flush from her awkwardness. Before she could make a quick turn to avoid any further humiliation, one of them leaped out and came down in swirls with a rigid landing. The ground trembled beneath Ursa’s slippers and made her lose balance, but the gentleman swiftly with softness swept the girl’s hand in his gloved one, while his other caught the small of her back. Ursa knew she was in an unseemly position for she felt the tip of her bonnet touch the ground, and where was Sways, she realized.
Ursa’s face was set aflame when the man pulled her close to his chest. With a small balled fist, Ursa whacked the man on his stomach and pulled his top hat over his eyes and down to his neck.
Sways, who loomed above the whole time dove back into his girl’s arms. She decidedly walked on the path after muttering “swine” behind her. Ursa found the angel on her own when she was just a little girl, she can’t help but wonder why it was so difficult. What did she have to do?
Dead leaves crunched underneath little slipper. Ursa heard laughter, but it was a bit low, like it didn’t want to be heard or be rude. The raven in her arms frantically squawked and flapped his wings. Ursa let him go and vainly tried to hush her raven. The laughter got louder and that encouraged the bird to fly away, “Sways! Y-You coward.” The insomniac couldn’t believe what her bird did. She rubbed her eyes, then her hands together and wearily looked around. Loneliness haunted her down. The laughing had not subsided and she shivered, she had not slept for some days. All she saw was the darkness of the night, and beyond that, nothing. There was no source of light. There was nothing. Nothing surrounded her. All alone in the woods. Nothing was laughing at her, and it grew louder. Something within her started to stir. Ache in her belly. She brushed off unwanted hands on shoulder and arms, or at least the feeling. Ursa began to run but to no avail, she tripped over the front of her dress. The wind howled with laughter and Ursa’s limbs shook, her chest panged, weighing her down. She managed to get up and continued to run. It was them! Surely! That deceiving man and that hideous hag! Ursa saw the end of the path and used the rest of her energy to reach it faster.
Upon reaching it she noticed it was a big clearing in the woods and had a coppery carriage— but no coachmen. Ursa tensed when she felt hands on her shoulder. Tears welled up in her eyes when she heard the breath of a woman straining to be alive above her. Ursa was shoved closer to the carriage. She tried to push back and dig her feet to the ground but the woman yanked her in place. With meek whispers of “please stop touching me,” or, “let me go please,” didn’t help either. Now in front the carriage’s door, she was freed. The window slid down and a finger beckoned her to come closer. Ursa had no choice.
Being close to the carriage, the copper looked like faded gold and the rusty maroon color with that strong iron smell, loo—
“You didn’t even let me answer,” A silky, deep, sly voice came from the inside. Ursa lifted her eyes up and saw a woman of wealth, but only the side of her face. It did not help that the woman’s black sun hat covered most of her face too. Before Ursa could reply the woman quickly added, "You must be so lost that you'd entrust a stranger for guidance. How amusing. I simply cannot wait to see what happens when a young girl bumps into a man in the middle of a nowhere, at night." Ursa shivered when the woman gave a sharp grin, or was it a smirk, Ursa couldn't tell by looking at her side. "In all actuality, it doesn't leave much room for imagining. Honestly, it’s boring everyone to death!"
Ursa blinked, "I... Don't understand. Wha—"
"What do they teach you these days with their mythology of 'sin' and 'soul' and all that jazz?" Interposed the wealthy woman, amused and perplexed. The clueless girl blinked a couple of times and shook her head. "No? Well no wonder you keep playing this silly game of hide and seek. Ah. You should be running.”
Ursa couldn’t help but turn to look at her surroundings, “I don’t see—”
Booming sounds of shrieking horses and galloping clops strike like lighting in Ursa’s ears. Looking back, there was nothing but a pair of dirt trails. Ursa had to gasp for breath and clutched her chest. Run? But there was nothing. Her doe eyes darted all around her, from the trees, into the darkness. If the young girl was really in trouble, why didn’t the woman offer her a ride? Well, the carriage didn’t have wheels… Huh. She should sot be surprised of such oddity. Ursa peered from behind and sighed, she wasn’t scared. Though still shaken from the initial scare, Ursa continued through the path that lead out of the clearing, following the trail.
The freckled black sky was like a warm, glittery blanket on Ursa, so inviting. But the young girl could not shake off the creeping loneliness that crawled on her skin like a tantalizing, poisonous spider scraping its fangs along her flesh. Ursa shivered, she had to keep moving before the reality of loneliness downed on her. Looking up, she could not see the glittery veil anymore, but instead an empty void. With her own hand still clutching her chest, she did not feel the rapid flutter of her bashful heart. The wind did not utter a whisper. Trees were bared. Beyond the black: nothing. Even then that’s something. No, it was her. Ursa picked up the pace, constantly looking back. It was her. She was pulling herself back. Curiosity was her virulent vice, and she stopped and slowly turned around. A black feathery figure bolted in front of her, squawking. Before Ursa could question if it was her Sways, faded stomps came closer to her direction. Ursa ran on instinct, remembering to pick up the front part of her dress. Her scarf tangled with a few wooden limbs but she pried herself away with her scarf, but she did not dare to look back. Unfortunately, she was gifted to trip on her own two feet even if she was taking a nice walk in clean, obstacle-free street. It didn’t take long for her to lose her rhythm and fall.
With a thump, whatever was chasing the girl fell down with her. Ursa quickly reacted with punches and kicks to the attacker on top of her.
“Ow! Ow, I’m sorry. Agh— wait!” The weight was off the poor girl and she got up, ready to give another hit. “Look it’s dangerous, I just wanted to help.”
“B-By sneaking up on me a-and chasing me?!”
“You would’ve run away…” He chuckled after he thought about it. “I guess the chasing was inevitable.” Ursa was tired of the nonsense, she scoffed and turned. “H-Hey, don’t leave me?”
She kept walking, “Too late, I don’t know you.”
“Wait!” The young man caught up in front of her. “Have you ever gotten that feeling, in the middle of night like say, the woods, that someone for some reason is calling for help, and that’s why you came?”
Ursa halted and her brows furrowed, “Are you mad?”
“You were attacking me like a rabid dog.”
“You were chasing me!” Ursa punched him on his shoulder.
“Agh, then we can both agree that I’m the victim here.”
“Pfft, what?” A chuckle escaped from Ursa. She playfully rolled her eyes which was odd. In normal circumstances, she would’ve sunk herself in her orange scarf until it suffocated her first, before the awkwardness did. But this young man, he was a bit pathetic and she felt pity, in an understanding way, of course.
After taking a walk with the stranger, they shared their reasons why they ventured the forest. Ursa learned that the man in the violet vest ran away for the night from his strict life, he was very important and it stressed him that he couldn’t get out without having someone recognize him, or his mother pulling him into boring parties. How woefully dreadful. Ursa admitted that she never heard of him.
“What, do you ever go out?” The young man said as he hopped from stone to stone on a calm stream of a river.
The clumsy girl was looking down with her arms extended at her side to keep balanced. “Only,” she hopped and her arms teetered like a seesaw. “At night.”
“Is that so?” The young man looked back.
Ursa shrugged. “At least, when my brother is asleep. Heh.”
Usually a shy girl, she took the chance shove the young man in front of her so he could lose his footing. Sure enough, he slipped and fell face first in the shallow river while Ursa picked up her skirt to skip her way to the other side. She did not mind the water, and it only stopped at her knees. It was childish, but they both started giggling like idiots. The young man got up and awkwardly jogged where the girl kindly waited for him. Upon reaching the other side, Ursa curtsied and he bowed to her. They were a mess, and a giggling mess at that. After a moment of sudden realization, they both shuddered from their wet socks. So they resumed their walk, not worried anymore to get lost a little longer.
“Say, I could help with your brother’s situation.”
The young girl beamed, “That’s grea—”
“If I get to meet you on another night. It’s… nice having a genuine friend.” Ursa could’ve rolled her eyes, she was getting tired of people talking over her, but she was rendered speechless that a stranger would consider her a friend.
“This is, u-uh, well, going a bit too fast.”
The young man raised his hands defensively. “I’m not asking for your hand, if that’s what you’re wondering.”
Ursa flushed, “No. No! That’s not what I mean!” She sighed. “How should I trust you?”
The dirty, but well-dressed man in front her chuckled. “I trusted you to get these costly clothes all wet and muddy.” The poor girl quickly flushed with regret. “Which could be fixed if I buy whatever your brother has available for me.” He sheepishly added and rubbed the back of his neck. “Um, I’m— my name is…”
The girl graced him with a smile. “Ursa.”
He sighed, shoulders cleared of weight. “Coast.”
Hopping for the best
Finally reaching the edge of the forest, Ursa guided her new friend to where she lived. Coast pointed the mansion he resided, proud of escaping its towering gates. When they arrived on Ursa’s front porch, she stopped and let Coast go on for a moment. She smiled up at the horizon. The sun was hungover with sleep, barely getting up from his horizontal bed. The young girl knew on that day, she wouldn’t arrive in an empty home.
Of course, her day dream of having a touching moment with her twin was shot by a loud thunk that came inside her little home. She rushed inside and saw a shadow, that could very much be hers, holding a blunt object. Upon entering the kitchen to witness a bloody battle, instead she was met with the sight of a dirty, blonde young man with a ridiculous bump on his forehead holding Marble’s wrist. Coast tried to tear them apart to let go of the frying pan but Ursa’s brother had an iron grip. The girl wondered if she should be feeling this disappointed at how mild it turned out.
Marble was shielding his face with his weapon. “Why would you sneak up on me like that?!”
“You would’ve been frightened… Look, I’m not good at this!” Coast said, causing the other to drop the frying pan in shock once he heard Coast’s voice. Said young man let go of Marble and scowled. “I should’ve known you were her brother.”
“Wait, Ursa? But you’re…” Marble visibly struggled to think of an insult. “Not nice!” Good enough.
“I was confused at first when I met her. Though, I’ve imagined you wearing a dress when no one is around, which is a likely possibility. So...”
“You imagine things like that?”
“Well, no. I mean, I don’t. I wouldn’t be surprised.” He smoothly recovered.
They stopped right on that note for Ursa had laughed, genuinely. It was not obnoxiously loud or timidly low. It was, though, enough to make the boys stop and stare at her. Maybe it was the twin telepathy, because she had a really good feeling that Marble wanted an explanation of their meeting.
Right, Ursa thought to herself, and he also thought she had not left her room. “H-He just saw me one day and, um. Told me, that…” She began playing with her hands and looked up at Coast and sheepishly grinned. “Wows Marble, dare I say you look quite dashing in that dress. I always knew you’d look quite delightful in one and indelicate, if I may add.” For some odd reason she emphasized a lot on the D’s. Coast quickly added that he didn’t sound like that and immediately regretted his choice of words because Marble now bought into his twin’s reason.
morning tea for three
The rest of that day Ursa couldn’t sleep for the excitement that filled her little heart. She was content that Coast kept his promise. It should only be fair to return the favor, even though she does not know how, having a friend is honestly a favor to Ursa.
Without resting for two days, the insomniac couldn’t wait to go to sleep when midnight came. After putting on her bed gown, she lovingly brushed the messy tress of her hair in front of her mirror. She brushed her bangs back to look at the dusty freckled forehead that gave her namesake. Ursa remembered what her mother said in her youth, about the spell that names and titles hold with so much power. She was born at night with the stars engraved on her. She certainly must be magic, right? Ursa noticed how droopy her doe eyes were getting, so she got up and slid herself on her bed, plopping her head on her pillow with a pomf. Finally fluttering her eyes close and breathing evenly, she couldn’t sleep. It was bothering Ursa. Poor girl was so tired and her body could barely move, but her mind was awake. The girl sighed, tired, weary.
There, came a tapping on the bedroom door. “Marble, I’m trying to sleep. I am,” she sighed and her face contorted in frustration. The knob was turned, the door opened but nothing happened. Ursa was too tired to ask what her brother was doing but flinched when the door opened all the way that it hit the wall with a crunching snap.
There was only murmuring silence. Suddenly Ursa heard her picture frame being picked up and then gently put down, then drawers were opened. All she could hear was the sliding friction between wood all around her room. Ursa caught her breath by the throat. Something was rummaging through her belongings but she didn’t hear footsteps. Floorboards were cracked open and Ursa wondered why her brother hasn’t said anything and she gasped when she heard exactly where the floor was exposed. It was where she kept her souvenirs from the magical manor hidden, her golden seam nightgown. With a thud, her things on the dresser were thrown and Ursa whimpered when something cracked her window. There was fluttering and shrieking from the other side, claws scraping the glass. Low but loud croaks could be heard, the girl recognized them, but they sounded panicked and frantic. Then she heard whatever was in her room, thrashing against the walls, on the floor and up the ceiling. Like a burlap sack filled with sticks, cracking as it's thrown about. Ursa was panicking, she was shaking and she was too scared to see what was in her room. Ursa lids lifted, revealing her bloodshot eyes. Ah…
“No!”
A cold sweat, face covered by jittery hands to calm down ragged breaths. Never backing down from a mystery, for the unknown, but Dipper Pines wasn’t too keen on finding out what lurked in the dark of that night. He was awake at last.