Lee looked outside as she pressed her face against the cold glass. Birds flew by, chirping and minding the peace around them. She looked back at Astrid on the bed. It was her turn to take duty to protect her. She was under Blue Pegasus protection after what had happened. She was rather upset at herself, still. Lector was playing with his tail on the chair over on her left.

"When do you think she would wake up?" Lector was worried about Astrid as he knew how close she and Lee were. Even if she teased LeeAnn about finding a boyfriend and singing about it, they were inseparable. There was a knot in her stomach thinking about the reality of this situation. The question of when wasn’t the worry, it was ‘if’ she was worried about.

“I...I don’t know, Lector.” Quietly, she sat having her mind wander about what exactly to do. Nothing would ease her mind at the moment, but alcohol. Although, there wasn’t any allowed in the hospital. So that was a bummer. A long sad sigh escaped her lips causing her partner to grow more apprehensive. The little exceed was Lee’s cheerleader, but this time she didn’t know. Several silent minutes dreadfully go by until the door opens to her cousin, Tadashi, who was Astrid’s twin. He took his headphones off as he entered the room.

“You can leave now, Lee. I’m here to take watch. How is she doing?” Tadashi stared at his sister with concern. A long time passed before an answer was spoken. The pink haired male remained silent. “Thanks. I don’t know...I will leave you to it,” she spoke. She lifted herself up from the windowsill and walked past her cousin. A gentle hand laid upon her shoulder, putting her to a halt.

“Don’t end up like her as well. Please, for the sake of the family and yourself, don’t overwork yourself.” Tadashi was always a quiet guy who stayed to himself all the time. It was only him and his music. Regretfully, she made a false promise, knowing she wouldn’t be able to dodge that bullet. There was too much on her mind from the safety of her family, to her personal love life, and if Astrid would ever wake up. The more her mind wandered about it, the more she felt helpless. As they walked down the hallways, a quick dizzy feeling, but went away as fast as it came. She shook her head and blinked, pausing. Lector halted and turned his head to her.

“Lee, are you okay?”

“Yeah, just light headed is all.”

Lector latched his eyes on her, sharply. The color from her face was starting to drain a little bit. Her body started to grow limp, losing her footing, she crashed onto the ground.

“Lee!”

Darkness.

That was all she saw. It was very welcoming, but terrifying at the same time. The feeling of uncontrolled darkness made her feel as if she was slipping into death. Choked by fear, she managed to cast a fire spell that would light up a huge room. A temple-like room, large enough to fit several guild halls. There were large pictures from Lee’s memories, some of them very happy and some extremely sad. She stopped at one with her parents and Hikaru sang happy birthday to her when she was six years old. A warm feeling came inside of her, those were happy memories. Walking further down the huge room. She noticed another memory, one that brought fear into her. The dark cult that sacrificed her for their summons of their dark god. It then twisted into Kazimir saving her from that nightmare.

Lee stepped back into a manifestation of Manzo behind her from the last time she remembered him. “What the hell is going on?” She called out expecting someone to answer. Another manifestation of her two brothers, Ryu and Hikaru, then her parents next Kon, then Lector and Salem. They all stared at her with a blank face. Of course, this was all an illusion. She stepped onto the ground and a ring of fire emerged. The attack was enough to cause all the illusions to dissipate into thin air.

“What the fuck is going on?” She cried to whoever was in the room. A cackling came from behind her in amusement. Quickly, she twirled around with an angered expression on her face.

“Show yourself! I demand it now!”

“Oh god, you are too amusing. You do realize this is your subconscious, right? We’re in your mind where all your experiences, fears, and thoughts remain,” spoke a chaotic voice. He showed himself as a large red dog-like draconic creature with one horn and sewn on a coyote ear. He had a button for his right eyed and a regular eyed with a small orange eye giving him a crazed neutral expression. His mouth was sewn shut, but she could tell the voice was coming from him.

The beast held a cheshire grin at Lee below. A large creature rested his chin on his hand, looking a little bored already. Lee frowned. “What are you?”

The question made him more delighted by her interest. “My name is Ragtime. I am the spirit connected to your ideals,” he answered. The kitsune paused, tilting her head in confusion. She reminded Ragtime of a puzzled puppy who didn’t know its own name.

“Huh?”

Ragtime snapped his fingers, immediately showing an illusion of Hikaru. Shrinking to the correct size of a small Wyvern. He placed his paws on Hikaru’s shoulders. “You look up to your brother. You follow the rules. Though...you also go against them to do good right? Society is twisted to the point of no return. If you went to the law for help who ever attacked your sweet innocent, Astrid, they will ignore you much like those who you screamed for help,” he explained. His claws skimmed Hikaru’s jawline seductively then turned to Lee.

“Stop! Don’t you dare touch him,” she screamed. Ragtime expressed a sarcastic smile, placing his paw on his red furry chest.

“Oh you don’t trust dear, sweet me with an ILLUSION of your brother?” The emphasis on the word Illusion caused LeeAnn to pause and stare at him.

“Good. I have your attention again. Your brother is the knight in shining armor in your life, right? So is your adopted family? I just want to help unlike those assholes that call themselves Rune Knights. Hikaru is your picture perfect version of what you want to become, but let’s face it fuzzball, your not going to be him,” he belittled. He flicked her forehead a little bit to annoy her. The personal comment made her angry enough to attack him with a flame attack, but quickly countered it with his palm. He raised an eyebrow. “Are you done throwing a fit?”

LeeAnn fumed. “Fuck you! I will become just like my brother and help people. That’s all I want in life.”

Ragtime frowned, he pointed a claw at her chest. “Who’s going to help you? As many people you’ve met and burned you more than your own magic. You’re a sinking ship, half-pint. I am here to help you. Thinking of me as a tool,” he smiled. He held out his palm to make a deal. Immediately, LeeAnn backed away from him. He rolled his eye and huffed out of annoyance.

“Still don’t trust me?”

“No.”

He pinched the bridge of his forehead and rubbed his temples, thinking. After a while of brainstorming, he snapped his fingers to an old memory. The very environment was enough to make LeeAnn tremble. It was the dungeon. A dark, empty place where no soul could make it. Ragtime held a serious face. He led the way down the hallway. They heard familiar screams that echoed through the hall with flashing lights. LeeAnn trembled.

“For Illumin!”

“For Illumin!”

“LEEANN!!!!” A chilled scream from her mother’s lips ripped out of her mouth. Through the door, they watched Leeann being held down with magical chains for the cult’s ‘version of Illumin’. LeeAnn stared in horror with tears coming down her face. “Why...why are you showing me this?”

“Do you blame yourself?”

The flaming haired mage turned her attention, expression sadness and confusion. “Excuse me?”

“It's quite common for someone in this type of situation to feel a kind of guilt.” The screams of pain from the younger version of herself in tears. The pain she felt then was also felt now, only not through illness or force pain.

“It’s quite common for people to invent a blame or create a casualty when in reality...it was completely out of your control.”

The memory faded back to the temple. Ragtime sat down, this time with no intent to cause any mischief. “Why do you allow this to define you? The illness...the pain. You allowed it to become a part of you instead, moving past that. Now, you’re cured. Though, the pain still haunts you. Hikaru, Judina, and even your family accepted you...why haven't yourself?”

She looked down. “Now...think about your cousin. Do you want her or anyone else to go through what you have?”

LeeAnn stared at him with no words. Finally, she spoke. “No. What do you want me to do?” Ragtime grinned, holding out his hand. “Make a pact with me and I will help you become stronger.”

She held out her hand, but quickly retracted in hesitation. A sliver of doubt came out of her cautious nature. The worry in her eyes about what would come if she took this deal. “What’s the catch?”

“Catch? Well, I would take over your body at will whenever I feel like it. That’s all I ask,” he spoke, with a cheeky grin. She gave a sigh.

“Deal!”

[Exit]