Fantastical Destiny

When was the last time you looked in the mirror?

Such is the question wandering around Jiyu’s head. For it’s been a long, long while since the last time she did. 

An elf doesn’t forget, and she couldn’t stress enough how much she wishes they would.

“I wish he was never born.”

You overheard your mom’s prayers in the middle of the night. Your cheeks felt warm, and soon after it felt wet too.

.

Living with your mom should be enough. You only have each other. A good son would have to be able to persist, to live strongly, to pay back all the good deeds your mom has ever done to you.

Good deeds. Breakfast, mostly consisting of cheap spaghetti and salt. Dinner, still spaghetti and salt. Sleep? You’d be lucky if your mom didn’t call you to her room. Extinguish her half consumed cigarettes on your back. Throw the cans of beers right onto your head. Smash your shins with the handle of the broom. Study. School? You only ever learn by overhearing the kids next door working and mumbling through their homeworks. 

You still considered your mom as the kindest person ever. She still tended to your needs, even after everything she’s done in between. She provided a house, a bed, foods. That’s what’s called being responsible, right?

.

“Why did you leave me?!”

Why indeed. Why would father leave her alone? Why would he leave you in her care? You would never know. After all, what even is the point of having a father? Your mom is all you ever need to live.

.

“Take off your pants.”

“Yes, mom,” you obliged. Reluctant, hesitant, but never defiant.

It’s a ritual, she once said. To strengthen our bond. You nod. You could never remember what happened in those nights.

.

“I finally got myself a boyfriend! I will get rid of him tonight. Thank you, Lord!”

What was she even saying? A boyfriend? But she always said she hated dad. Mom always said she would never, ever have another dad. Weren’t you enough? She always said you were the perfect companion. A friend. A partner. Get rid of him. By him, did she mean…you?

The door to your room slammed open that night.

You weren’t there.

You weren’t everywhere.

“Neighh! Neighhh!”

Laughters. The two girls laughed in front of the mirror.

“That’s not how unicorns sound, stupid Haum!”

“Eh? Have you even seen one? I have!”

“Where?”

“In my dreams! Bweh~”

“Stupid Haum!”

“Stupider Jiyu~~”

Crash!

“Whoah!” the girls scream in unison. A boy suddenly came rushing through the front door of their house.

“Hel-help, help! My mom-she-she’s trying to kill me!”

What? The initial reaction is silence. Confusion. A complete stranger just broke through the door. Now he’s saying something taboo so very casually? Well, not casually per se. He was gasping, his face as pale as the sea of Banyu. He wasn’t lying. But, to say that his mom was going to kill him?

Jiyu decides to kneel forward. She’s trying to hold his shoulder as gently as possible. He still jumps at contact.

“W-what? Whe-where am I? I was just running through the forest…, and-and…, this was the first house that I see…,” you still gasp. You’ve run for so long, so far. Your throat can no longer lubricate itself. The sweats on your body have completely dried out. You pass out seconds after.

Thud.

“Akh!” the girls still standing are screaming.

“Haum! Go get the guy water, or something. Hurry! I can feel his soul trying to escape the body!”

“O-okay, okay! Hang on!” Haum rushes to the water source just at the back of the house. She pulls out the leaf of the Kelor around this small fountain. Holding just enough water to–hopefully–bring you back.

Jiyu doesn’t stay still. She quickly lifts your body and takes you to the bed. She puts you on the cushioning layers of animal hides. Your body is sizzling hot to her touch. She leaves you there, going to the kitchen to conjure up a special mixture of herbs to bring your temperature down. She’s really quick with her hands.

“Here!” Haum hands Jiyu the bowled leaf, full of fresh water.

“Give me a hand?” Jiyu carefully lifts your head up, then rests it on her raised thigh. She’s kneeling beside your unconscious body.

Haum quickly responds. She brings the leaf closer to your mouth, nudging your stiff chapped lips slightly open. The water trickles down, you gulp instinctively.

“There, there,” Jiyu points her mouth to where the special mixture is placed. “It should help, the Jamu will stabilize his body.”

Haum nods and does exactly what she did before, just with Jamu instead of fresh water this time.

And work it really does. Your breath calms down almost immediately as your dangerously high fever cools down. Jiyu puts your head slowly back down and leaves you to lay there in peace.

“Phew!” Jiyu wipes her forehead upon leaving the room.

“What even was that?! I thought unicorn was something, but this? This is a whole new world!” Haum excitedly exclaims.

Jiyu looks up at her–Haum is slightly taller, a fact Jiyu will never be able to live down. “Don’t treat her like some kind of an exotic creature. That’s not polite.”