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Hours after the cheers of the crowd faded away, the stage lights burnt out, an intense adrenaline still coursed through Rumi’s veins. Illuminating the patterns on her body, they continued to shimmer in an array of colours. It was beautiful-she was beautiful.
With all these changes there was now a warming scent of spice in the air, the kind of presence that while faint was all around them-the Honmoon stronger than ever before. But the city view from their home couldn't hold her focus for long. With night falling Rumi could see her reflection in the glass, one glowing orange eye staring at her. Placing her hand on the window she covered it up, letting out a gasp before frowning questioning why she was forced to live in this duality for so long-alone. Just when the anxiety rose from within her, a hand gripped her arm twisting it around. Turning she saw Zoey’s wide eyes were so focused on inspecting the patterns along her arm curiously.
“Let the girl eat” Mira's muffled voice instructed while before she swallowed another sushi roll.
“I love them” Zoey's wide eyed expression brought a smile to Rumi’s face.
“Tiger stripes,” Mira added with admiration.
“Yeah, I don’t why” Rumi sighed “I don’t really know much about myself”
“No more hiding, we’ll figure it out” With Mira eyebrows raised, this was a demand one given with a smile.
“Together” Zoey wrapped her arm around Rumi as they walked over to where Mira sat on the couch.
“No more secrets, promise”
Locking eyes with them each as she said it but as if the universe reminded her just how many lies she told, a glow from the floor opened up a portal. Mira and Zoey tensed up, with Zoey pulling Rumi back a step. There was no threat, no danger though, just a tiger with a snaggle tooth grin and three eyed bird sitting atop its head.
“Oh, just one more thing,” Rumi chuckled, stepping forwards as she affectionately patted the demon.
The derpy looking tiger then knocked over a small container of noodles that spilled out onto the floor. Slowly moving around it stared blankly at the turned over box and its eyes widened even further while inspecting the mess. Rumi rushed over picking up the box giving her friends an apologetic smile.
Everything had changed and yet they were the same, sitting together on the couch enjoying a feast of noodles, sushi and an assortment of soft pillowy like cakes. They discussed how their fans would have reacted to the whiplash of the band's breakup, followed by sudden reconciliation at the head of a great battle with the Saja boys. There were bigger questions on Rumi’s mind now though, past all the self loathing and the bliss of no longer having to hide herself, she realized there was not much she knew about her past.
“So, who is your father?” Mira question interrupted by a burp.
Rumi smiled relieved to have this been asked, knowing that she could have found these answers long ago, if she had just trusted them.
“I don’t know” Was Rumi’s answer though, she didn’t want to know for the longest time, never pushed Celine on the subject.
“That must be so hard, not knowing” Zoey eyes went wide distant.
“It is, I have been so angry, I thought that anger was the key to stopping this” Rumi admitted as her hand grazed along her forearm coated in demonic patterns.
“Takedown, that’s why you didn’t want to perform it” Mira almost gasped eyes wide.
“We should have known, hate wouldn’t be the answer” Zoey voice rose as she sat upwards alarmed at herself.
“And Jinu?” Mira asked bluntly again she was just concerned, desperate to know all the details.
“Getting to know him, it was like getting to know a part of myself” Rumi said with affection, a comment that drew out a jealous look from her friends.
“Why couldn’t you trust us?” Mira spat out the real question, the one on her mind from the moment she saw the patterns.
“I couldn’t trust myself-didn’t know there could be good in a demon, how could you possibly accept me-I didn’t accept me, I’ve been fighting my whole life to destroy that part of myself, I thought you’d want to destroy it to” Rumi
“You thought we would hurt you?” Mira choked out.
“I don’t actually think I could” Zoey scrunched up her face at the thought.
Mira reached closer, gripping Rumi’s hand and shaking her head, sharing the truth-a response that seemed obvious, but still needed clarifying. This was a family, that meant certain hard lines had been drawn, one being that they could never inflict pain like that on one another. Never watch as the light went out in her eyes. Rumi needed this clarification after the night she had, after those demons with their faces ripped off her clothes and broke her.
“All this time all these demons we’ve been fighting, they needed our help” Zoey
“There not all good, they still choose to take souls” Mira
“So can I, I thought that part of myself was a weakness, but its strength”
“And if anyone has a problem with my friend” Zoey stayed fanning herself with her glowing blades.
“They’ll have to get through us” Mira added as they both scooted over closer to Rumi until she was sandwiched between them.