Chapter Text
"CYRENE!-" Phainon shout as he slammed open the door, quickly ducked to the side when a very familiar crescent shaped blade thrown his way. Castorice who was behind him almost got herself beheaded if she took a step forward.
The blade now stuck on the wall, cracked by the sheer force of the blade. Phainon stared at it, and then glanced back into the room where he see Cyrene with a guarded look on her face. Eyes wide open and jaw clenched tight as Hyacine seems to whisper something soothing and tugging back softly on Cyrene's outstretched arm — from throwing her weapon — beside her.
The air feels cold, and it feels even colder when Phainon sees no trace of recognition in her eyes.
He stop dead on his track, did he startle her? scare her? His eyes quickly searching for Hyacine's, and the healer simply shook her head, her hand making a shooing gesture as she mouthed 'later'.
He frown, but nodd regardless.
"I'm sorry," he say, bowing his head, "I'll be leaving now."
He get out, and close the door behind him — this time softer. He let out a sigh as he stare at the still stuck blade on the wall, then move to remove it just in case it'll hurt someone else. Once the blade is in his hand, he slowly open the door and leave the blade leaning against the wall close by inside before clossing it again. Thinking back to what just happened.
One thing for sure is that the blade was thrown almost immediately after he slammed the door open — he should really control himself — and that she look so guarded. Shoulder tense and something about the way her finger twitches gives him the idea that she was prepared to pull out her bow, as if he's a threat.
..To be fair, he was the one who killed her in the end of every cycles. Did she.. Did she identified him as a threat?-
But.. Something in her eyes that seems to follow his and Castorice's every movement — even if Castorice only peeking from the doorframe — did not suggest that she was only identifying him as a threat, but instead also including Castorice. From the way her long ears twitched that he could see suggest that she's trying to find any other possible threat nearby, just maybe hidden by the pale wall of the patient room.
She was quickly reacting to any sudden noise, especially one that might suggest danger. Something that she also did during the Eternal Recurrence from what he can remember during his time as Flamereaver, when visiting to wherever she was hiding at the time. That same thick book always with her, and writing every event. He had asked her if she's not afraid of any ambush from the monsters, considering how relaxed she looked. She had said that he just doesn't know how she had adapted, associating any strange noises to possible danger and always alert without looking like it-
Wait. Did she-?
He glanced at Castorice who clasped her hands on her chest, a clear look of worry — but he has no good news, so he just shook his head.
"Hyacine said she'll tell us later," he told her, "for now, it's better if we don't bother, I think."
He took a deep breath.
"But.. I'm not sure about this..," Phainon bit the inside of his cheek, "maybe she still think that she's still trapped within the simulation..?"
Castorice gulped, "I see.. I hope she'll be okay soon."
Phainon frown deepened, eyes downcast, "I hope so too.."
Castorice heart clenched at the sight, she knows how important Cyrene is to him. Someone from his homeland, perhaps a friend, or a sibling. Whoever the Thirteenth Titan is to Phainon, to have a loved one suddenly (seemingly) so hostile and unapproachable.. Castorice can't even begin to think about it if it was her and Polyxia instead.
"Come," she say, offering an open hand, "let's go back to the garden — the Chimera we were assigned to must've missed us already."
Phainon sigh, but still reaching out for her hand. She gently hold onto him, and pull them away from the room. She's glad that the curse doesn't follow them here to the new world. Her touch no longer deathly, unless if she decide that it'd be so. Turning the ability from constantly active to a passive one.
"Awoo woo!" The familiar voices of chimeras from the Garden of Life grow louder as the sunlight once more greeted them, and Castorice can feel her heart lighten.
When she peak a glance at the Deliverer behind her, she's glad that he seems to feel the same. Beagle Coconut and Butterfly Cake approached them with excitement, Cyrup trailing not far behind them as happily. Phainon open his arms wide as Beagle Coconut and Cyrup jumped to him, while Castorice crouched down to catch Butterfly Cake in a much gentler way.
The Chimeras purred as the two Titans hold them close to their chest, walking to the middle of the garden where all of their other Chimera friends are hanging around. Though neither of them expected to see Aglaea with three Chimeras crowding on her, even Oatmeal seemed to have claimed her lap to nap on. The Goldweaver look up from where she sit — unable to move because, well, Oatmeal had claimed her lap — and smiles, though her eyes spoke of terribly masked worry.
"Those three seems very excited to meet you two," she says, chuckling, "and they were just crowding me earlier."
"Well, we were assigned to them, and was hanging out with them," Castorice explain easily as she take a seat next to the Romance Titan, "they probably missed us already, no?"
"I see," Aglaea replied softly, her hand scratching on Oatmeal's head as she turn her head to Phainon, "you can sit down too, you know?"
The Deliverer seems to pause as he hold onto the Chimeras close to his chest, his eyes went to Cyrup whom happily cradle closser to his chest as she purred. Beagle Coconut notice and decide that he want the attention too, so he swat his little paw just on Phainon's chin before trying to reach for his nose. The Chimera happily purr when Phainon finally look at him too. Phainon let out a quite sob, and then finally sitting down. Making a circle between them.
The Deliverer sniffled, "sorry, it just- I miss her.."
Aglaea and Castorice stares at each other, before looking back at Phainon. They had known about this of course, and they know that he still missed her even after decades since they arrived in the new world. Heck, he already wondered and asking around about Cyrene ever since they were still in the Eternal Page. Aglaea sigh.
"How is she?" She decide to ask, and Phainon shook his head. A sad chuckle escape his lips, along with a stray tear that quickly evaporates.
"Immediately throwing her Ceremonial Blade at me, but then again it was kinda my fault for accidently slammed the door open." Phainon look up to the sky, "seems like she's tense, wary for any threat—As if she never leave that damned simulation-!"
"?!-"
Cyrup suddenly reached out for his cheek, and Phainon let out a confused noise. The Chimera no longer purring, instead stared up at him with a sad look, no doubt feeling his grieve. Phainon's lips wobled as he stares at those pair of purple eyes that would sometimes glisten that familiar blue hue. There are reasons why he offered himself to look after Cyrup (constantly passive-aggressively fighting Aglaea for the right), she looks so much like her. Perhaps this one supposed to be her special Chimera like how Beagle Coconut is his special Chimera.
When he feel a paw on his cheek, he realized that he had been crying. Opening his eyes, Cyrup tries wipe his tears away, but smeared it everywhere instead. The Chimera growled softly in annoyance, eventually swatting his face away when the tears just won't stop falling. Phainon laugh at her antic, and wipe his tears himself.
"Thank you," he whispered softly, holding her higher so their forehead meet, "I'm okay now-"
A paw swat him away again, seems like she decide otherwise.
"Haha! Hey, stop!" Phainon says when Cyrup decide to keep swatting him, perhaps delighted that he's laughing instead, "I'm fine, for real!"
"Awowo!!" Cyrup makes a sound that suspiciously similar to a giggle, but doesn't stop swatting him. Phainon sigh, deciding to hug this little menace to his chest instead. She purred in content.
"AWO!" Beagle Coconut complained, face turn into something jealous. He bump Phainon's arm with his horned head and Phainon can't help but chuckle. Eventually, he put Cyrup down to his lap so Beagle Coconut would stop being jealous—even giving him scratches and pats to satisfy the little Chimera.
(Little did he know, Cyrup is giving Beagle Coconut a smug look and Beagle Coconut decide he doesn't like that face at all, yet he doesn't jump her immediately when Phainon scratches and pets him.)
(For the sake of her own safety, Cyrup decide to left Phainon's lap and walk up to Aglaea instead. Her face still so smug, but brightened slightly when she sees Oatmeal.)
"Ah- Cyrup?" Phainon called out, but the Chimera ignored him as she marched her way to Aglaea's lap. Upon seeing her, Oatmeal scoot slightly closser to Aglaea's stomach, making an extra space. Cyrup let out a greatful 'Awoo' before jumping to the Goldweaver's lap. Phainon deflated like a ballon.
"She was just comforting me..." He says, clearly saddened that Cyrup decide to leave him for some pretty lady in gold. Aglaea chuckled, her eyes filled with michief and slight superiority.
"And it seems like she feels the mission accomplished," Aglaea say, voice soft yet edged with playfulness, "so she decide to leave."
Phainon frowned, but decide to hold close Beagle Coconut instead.
Though when his eyes once more meet the window where his sister should've been, he turn somber once more.
"She'll be alright, Hyacine can help her." Castorice tell him before he can overthink, "Just trust her."
Phainon bit the inside of his cheek, but nodd regardless. Holding Beagle Coconut close to his chest.
**
"It's okay, you are safe here." Hyacine whisper softly, holding the pink haired woman close, "That was just Phainon, just Khaslana. He was just worried and accidently slammed the door open."
The pink haired girl shook slightly, perhaps at the mention of his name. Her arm quickly went back to her lap and she decide to once more stare at her toes. Her long ears fell, clearly distraught.
"Khaslana?" She whispered, staring at her hands, "I.. I just throw the blade.. At him..?"
Hyacine tighten her hold on Cyrene's upper left arm, shivering slightly due to her body's lower body temperature, "Its not your fault, you were just surprised and reacted accordingly. You just have yet to get used to the safety of the new world."
"But.. But I still try to hurt him..," a tear fell, frozen immediately just under her eyes, "and I have already hurt him with my plan before-!"
Hyacine watches her with increasing worry, especially when Cyrene starts to glitch and the arm she's holding tight suddenly became intangible. Cyrene doesn't seems to notice, continuing to mumble to herself until her voice gone, replaced by text boxes upon text boxes with words without spaces. Her hands gripped her head tightly, pulling on her hair out of stress.
"It's not your fault!" Hyacine shouts, trying to get her voice through the many self-deprecating text boxes, "It has never been your fault—all you ever did, is to give us a real dawn, together with Phainon."
The glitch didn't stop, nor does the text boxes. Whatever Hyacine manages to read are no good thing, each sentences with no spaces are getting more depressing with each alphabet turning to numbers still closely resembled the begone alphabet.
Hyacine decide to reach out to tap lightly on Cyrene's neck where her moon tatto is usually hidden under her long hair. She think that maybe the skin under that tatto should stay tangible, and perhaps a bit of pressure might help with grounding. Her free hand still used to text him with her teleslate though. Considering how Cyrene seems to be a being consisted mostly of data, she figured that maybe he can help—especially with the glitches.
(Hyacine frowned at the thought. She doesn't like the idea that her friend doesn't get to be fully human even in the new world.)
(She also hopes that the glitches is purely related to Cyrene's emotion and not whatever virus she might accidently catch before Phainon found her a month ago.)
Taking a deep breath, she pull the hair covering the tatto slightly to the side—Hyacine's breath hitched at the sight.
At some point, it seems like the moon tatto on her neck (in the same position where Phainon's sun tatto would be) turn into an arrange of three red stars similars to Irontomb's stars. Hyacine bit her lip, knowing full well that Irontomb is gone. Cyrene might be it's head or heart, but Irontomb won't come back—They've made sure of that already.
So, (with a slightly shaking hand) Hyacine reach out to that glaring red stars tatto. Pressing her palm on the still tangible skin, flincing slightly from the biting cold. Hyacine shiver, but her hand keep on pressing in hopes that this will be enough to at least draw Cyrene's attention away from the bad thought.
When she finally hear a gasp from the taller woman, Hyacine exhaled in relieve. She look up to her friend whom looking at her, tears frozen at the corner of her eyes. She looks surprised, even the text boxes stop multiplying, leaving only a small text box with three dots on it. Hyacine searched her eyes, now red instead of her original blue—or the the pink one when her power would accidently flared dangerously. Hyacine add slightly more pressure on Cyrene's neck, ignoring the cold that slowly coat her fingers in frost.
Cyrene's hand reached for Hyacine's, the one on her neck, and adding slight pressure—as if searching for warmth she had long since lost.
Hyacine shivers upon contact, but powered through by pulling on to the Sky Coreflame's power deep in her chest. The Coreflames are, always burning after all. She just hopes that this woman's cold is not enough to blow her heat away, because that'd be dangerous for both of them.
The glitches slowly fades, but not completely. It's still there, along with the singular text box and Cyrene's eyes stayed red for some reason. The taller woman closed her eyes as she exhaled, breath foggy even as her body temperature slowly risen again—though not to the normal human temperature, it seems.
"You're warm," the singular black text box says in red text, "just like the dawn in Aedes Elysiae."
Hyacine chuckled at that, watching as the text once more turning into three dots, as the color of the text box slowly turn fade to pink tinted with baby blue. When Cyrene open her eyes again, they are once more pink, multicolored on the ring similar to the Worldbearing symbol circling the purple pupil. When the glitch lessened enough to have Cyrene's body mostly tangible, Hyacine lifted her hand and move to cradle the Aedes Elysian's cheek instead. Cyrene's hand that hold her never let go.
Hyacine breathed another sigh of relieve when the red triple stars tatto is back into a navy moon. Her free hand typing on her teleslate, telling him that she got this under control once more and asks him to please do NOT hack into her system. She's not exactly familiar with such technologies sure, but she knows that computers and data alike should have their own security system. She doesn't know how Cyrene's security system work, but considering she was apart of what is probably the most important part of Irontomb, she's not sure it'd be a good idea to trigger anything.
"Is this.. truly the new world..?" Cyrene suddenly say, dragging Hyacine out of her mussing. The text box are finally gone and her voice back again it seems, "It's.. Bright outside."
Hyacine smiles as she watch Cyrene gazed out of the window, her pink eyes fade into her normal blue ones—so similar with Phainon's, except her pupils are pink and without the Worldbearing symbol.
Hyacine nodd, "yes, yes we are."
Following Cyrene's gaze, Hyacine moved slightly so she can look out of the window behind her. Letting the warmth from the bright sun outside washed over them.
"It's been so long since the last time I saw this," Cyrene says again, "it's really not another one of those cycles, right?"
Hyacine glanced back to Cyrene, whom now looking at her with such sad eyes, as if bracing for reality to crash on her once more, bracing for Hyacine to ask what she meant by cycles as a way to confirm that she's in fact, still stuck in the Eternal Recurrence.
That 'reality' never came, "no, no it's not."
Putting her teleslate away, Hyacine hands cradled her friends cheek, staying close enough for their forehead to touch. Taking a deep breath, the doctor finally hugged the friend she thought won't ever reach the new world, sobbing onto shoulder a tad wider then average women. She can't see Cyrene's face like this, but she can feel a pair of cautious hands hugging her back.
"We are finally free, Cyrene—has been for 80 years," Hyacine tell her finally, "and you finally reached the new world too."
She can feel the hands on her back tightened, and she also hear a sob from above her as Cyrene rest her head on Hyacine's. The glitches finally fade away completely and while Cyrene's body stayed colder then normal human temperature, Hyacine can feel warmth radiating off her somehow.
They stayed there holding each other for a bit longer.
**
It was later at night when Phainon's teleslate vibrate on his table. He was only just done brushing his teeth and on his way to bed, even if he's not sure he'd be able to sleep early in the first place. Too worried about Cyrene. Phainon check his phone, just in case it's anything important—and it is. The notification came from Hyacine in the big grup chat for the Chyrsos Heirs, something about Cyrene it seems.
As soon as he read a mention of Cyrene, he quickly open his teleslate and clicked on the massaging app. Quickly going for the pinned group chat.
The 12 (Hopefully Functioning) Titans
> Ica is NOT 'Little' : Alright everyone, now that Reney seemed finally (actually) asleep and hopefully won't be awoken by another nightmare, it's time to tell what I have found! - 21.03
> Ica is NOT 'Little' : Truly sorry that I can't tell you guys this in person, still got things to do in the hospital 😔 - 21.03
> AO3Author : It's okay Hyacine, I don't think any of us are exactly free of duty - 21.05
> AO3Author : Especially after the incident - 21.05
> I AM The Rocket Team! : I said I was sorry?! - 21.05
> I AM The Rocket Team! : Well, we said we're sorry! - 21.05
Phainon chuckled at the mention of 'the incident'. It was something that happened just a week ago, Tribios trying to make more kids friendly fireworks. The things she makes work wonderfully as intended—of course, it's a creation worth months of hard work after all.
Except Tribios—temporarily splitting herself into Tribbie, Trianne and Trinnon—accidently put in some of her more.. Dangerous mini rockets invention. They had particularly different shape, yet in similar color as the rest of the friendly fireworks prototype, perhaps that's why they accidently bring those mini rockets in the boxes.
Phainon and Cipher who had been helping with the testing at the time saw those mini rockets. Intrested, they decide to.. Light them up. Well, Cipher the one who light it up with the match in her hand. Phainon chuckled to the memory, typing a reply.
21.07 - We know Tribios, it was mostly Cipher's fault anyway : Sun Boy <
> Master Thief! : Excuse you?! I was helping! - 21.07
21.07 - Kinda. Until you decide to light that match : Sun Boy <
> Master Thief! : AYYO?!?! IT WAS YOUR IDEA?! - 21.07
> Romancingsomuchshe'saMom : Quit fighting you two - 21.08
> Romancingsomuchshe'saMom : Please do continue, Hyacine - 21.08
Oh, Aglaea speak up. Better not continue this banter then—Hyacine does have important news to tell. Phainon brace himself, hoping for a sliver of good news. Phainon typed a quick reply.
21.08 - Sorry mom : Sun Boy <
> Master Thief! : Sorry mom - 21.08
> Ica is NOT 'Little' : Thank you Lady Aglaea! - 21.10
> Ica is NOT 'Little' : Anyway, from what I've gathered today is that Cirey seems inable to grasp the reality that she's finally out of the loop. Even after continuous reassurance that she's in fact finally reached the new world. She'd usually forget about it again everytime she woke up from a nightmare - 21.13
> Ica is NOT 'Little' : And each time she woke up from those nightmare, her mind seems stuck on a certain cycle that I can't quiet remember. My behavior usually alarmed her because I don't act as I do in said cycle, or simply because I can see her - 21.16
> Ica is NOT 'Little' : Something about being an onlooker.. I think. - 21.16
> Ica is NOT 'Little' : At least she'd recover the memory of the recent cycle enough to calm down most of the time, but also guarded considering the last cycle was when we finally fought Irontomb - 21.16
> Ica is NOT 'Little' : So far, the 'As I've Written' that you brought together with her is the only thing actually able to anchor her to current time, Phainon. Maybe because that book actually has every cycle written down in it or simply because it hers. - 21.17
> Ica is NOT 'Little' : Right now she's asleep though. We use a sleeping pill with hope that she'd sleep better. - 21.17
21.20 - Oh.. : Sun Boy <
21.20 - Thank you, Hyacine : Sun Boy <
Phainon put his phone down, so he hadn't been wrong—She's still somewhat stuck in the past.
Frowning, Phainon lay down on his bed. His mind suddenly loud with worry, especially considering that even him didn't have such a bad memory problem. He guessed it has something to do with the Rememberance, or simply because she's a Child of Anasrava—but with the same reason, she shouldn't have much trouble with memories considering that Rememberance is the very path that deal with memories on the the daily basis, and Children of Anasrava are those who were born from Fuli's fragment.
As far as he know, Cyrene is—at least in some capacity—partly Aeon, similar to how March 7th is (even if she once again doesn't remember the fact that she's a Child of Anasrava.)
So dealing with memories shouldn't be such a hassle, right?
Unless..
Phainon clicked his tounge, what kind of sacrifice did she do that she can't reach the new world previously? She can't even reach the Eternal Page previously, despite the fact that Eternal Page is basically a realm she made..
Is it.. Memory related?
Phainon look to the side and notice that his phone is still on with a new notification from Hyacine. Arching his brow, he once more opened the massaging app.
> Ica is NOT 'Little' : Almost forget! Cirey doesn't seems to be as human.. Not even as human as us - 21.30
Phainon's eyebrow creased, scrolling down through the group.
> Romancingsomuchshe'saMom : ..What do you mean by that, Hyacine..? - 21.32
> Ica is NOT 'Little' : How should I put this.. - 21.33
> Ica is NOT 'Little' : This only happen once but it definitely telling - 21.33
> Ica is NOT 'Little' : So, when Cirey was having a mental breakdown after Phainon left, it gets so bad she.. Glitched - 21.33
Glitched..? Phainon thought silently.
> Romancingsomuchshe'saMom : What do you mean glitched? - 21.35
Phainon can hear Hyacine taking a very deep breath from her office in the hospital.
> Ica is NOT 'Little' : She glitched, literally. When she was mumbling to herself, her voice suddenly gone and replaced by text boxes with words without spaces. It took a lot of focus from me to even try reading some of the sentences—no good thing, mind you. All of then self-deprecating. - 21.40
> Ica is NOT 'Little' : She became intangible too so I can't exactly hold her, until I remember her moon tatto Phainon had mentioned before when we asks him about his sun tatto. - 21.43
> Ica is NOT 'Little' : Since he said that his tatto is something he was born with, maybe to help identify you as the Deliverer, I figured that maybe her moon tatto would held some significant since she was also 'born' with it, even when it's usually hidden under her hair. Maybe the skin under it would still be tangible enough to press onto, to at least distract her from her spiralling thought. - 21.44
> Ica is NOT 'Little' : It does work! But.. - 21.44
Phainon bit his lip, why keeping them hanging? Why the sudden 'but'?
He type in a reply-
> I AM The Rocket Team! : but what???? Don't keep us hangin' now, Cinny! - 21.44
> AO3Author : Lady Tribios is right, especially since this is important - 21.44
Oh, his friends got ahead of him.
Phainon can imagine the grimace on Hyacine's face right now.
> Ica is NOT 'LITTLE' : But.. Her moon tatto turned into this arrange if red three twin stars, the kind that reminded me of Irontomb..
Phainon's eyes widen as he sit up straight, breath hitched as he fumbled with his phone, typing for a reply.
21.44 - The fuck you mean by that?! : Sun Boy <
> Ica is NOT 'Little' : Don't worry! It's all fine now! She hadn't gotten any other mental breakdown as bad since. The tatto change back in glitches as she calm down, eventually.. 'Human' again. - 21.45
> Ica is NOT 'Little' : I've asked Professor Anaxa for help then, since he knows more about technology then I am—though once I get it under control, I told him not to maybe hack into her system or whatever he said earlier.. - 21.46
> Romancingsomuchshe'saMom : What do you mean that crazy performer want to hack her?! - 21.46
> Romancingsomuchshe'saMom : explain @Dromasenthusiast - 21.46
Phainon frowned, he also would really like an explaination.
21.46 - As Aglaea said, please do explain Prof. (＃`Д´) : Sun Boy <
> Dromasenthusiast : It was all for the sake of helping. If she's made of mostly data, then her system can be hacked—I can get into her system and manually minimalizing her information input, therefore stopping the bad train of thought or anything that might've overloaded her sytem - 21.48
> Dromasenthusiast : Which is what happened to her, overloading. Too much memories and guilt mixed together - 21.48
> Dromasenthusiast : At least that what I've found, mostly because the silent warning was 'blaring'. I didn't even manage to learn the system enough to get through the first security layer ┐(￣～￣)┌ - 21.49
> Dromasenthusiast : Don't worry though, your sister's security system isn't one easy to be breached—it shares a similar principle that Irontomb has, and it able adapt quick. - 21.50
> MasterChef : That.. Still not okay. - 21.53
Oh, Mydei online. Phainon silently thought.
> Master Thief! : Woah, coming and immediately stating fact~ - 21.53
> Ica is NOT 'Little' : Mydei is right, but I was kinda panicking.. - 21.53
> Ica is NOT 'Little' : Beside, don't you think this might be useful later..? I mean, in case she'd suddenly have another episode and in public.. - 21.54
> Ica is NOT 'Little' : While I personality don't like this idea, I suppose we can have a back-up plan, just in case. - 21.54
21.54 - .. Fine then. So long it's just an emergency : Sun Boy <
Phainon sigh, once more putting his phone down, turning it off. All of this information gives him headache.
He lay back down on his bed, eyes glancing outside through his slightly open window. It's quiet the stary night, something that he know she liked. He wondered if she's looking out the window of her room in the hospital too. She would've liked the sight.
...
He genuinely wish that she'd be fine.