Opposite Ink

Chapter 74 - The Bond

(I can imagine Solis and Bloom's voices sounding like this too omg)

Bloom's View:
After walking for half an hour, we reached the beautiful waterfall with the field of flowers.

* Wow...this place is beautiful..

I laid out the picnic blanket and unloaded the books.

* You like reading..?

I nodded, taking out the fruit juices and snacks.

* I'm more of a reader than a talker. 😅

He smiled.

* Me too. :)

I smiled too.

* Feel free to choose any book to read. I brought two of each because it's fun to read at the same time.

* Sure!-

The Bond Of A Lifetime

We chose that book and began to read. The tranquil sound of the waterfall made everything so much better.

Ink's View:
* My little smoochiepoochie, you're gonna be one year's old!

Palette giggled as I played peekaboo with him. Error was reading with Jammy on the bed as I changed Palette's diaper. I couldn't believe that he was turning one in a week's time!

I received a text from Ellie and read it.

[Hey Ink! I use a spell to find some of Flail memories and I got something. No names, but a list of ten timelines. I'm guessing it's the timelines of the gang members. So far I've got:
Shame!Tale
Mirror!Tale
Under!Frame
Motion!Verse
Under!Search
Hidden!Tale
Lone!Tale
Under!Watch
Spy!Verse
Delight!Tale

I hope these help! :)]

Delight!Tale?

Delight and Harmony, I had to visit them to make sure they were safe.

I sent the list to everyone else as I fed Palette.

* Want us to go visit some of these?

* For once, not yet. I'd rather the others check it out and call us if need be. We deserve more time with the kids. 😅

* Agreed.

Horror's View:
"Should we go check one of the timelines out?"

* Yeah, but not Mirror!Tale, we've had provlems with them before, didn't end too well.

"Right...what about motion!tale?"

* I remember that timeline, was a quick mission to be honest..

Ellie opened a portal and took my hand.

* Shall we? :)

We went through the portal and walked around..hand in hand.

Solis's View:
* Ahh I'm so excited to read the end!

* Same, will she sacrifice her magic to save him??

* If they're soulmates, she'll do it without a doubt.

I nodded, eating my nutella sandwich. Bloom hadn't taken her eyes off the waterfall. Did it mean something to her?

* This was where my mother and I used to go together...until my biological father returned.

* Cross..?

She shook her head.

* Cross is my dad, but not by blood. My biological father was an awful person.

* I'm sorry...

* You'd understand better than anyone how that felt. The person who you put all your trust in..loved and respected...grew up with, turned out to be the very person who broke you inside..

* Flail...

She nodded, clenching her fist a little.

* My mother stopped coming here with me because one time, they thought Shattered was watching us.

* Was he..?

* Yeah..from a distance..

* How does Dream feel about you coming here still..?

* Heh, my mother hates it, but they understand I like it here. I love my mother...they had every reason to not have Hope and I, y'know.

What..?

* Because of who your father was..?

She nodded, looking at the still water.

He'll never take over you again...

Your magic is your own, Solis.

I used magic, some of the water lifting and circling around us, firming into triplets that took the shape of an umbrella. Bloom look up in awe, the tears in her eyes rolling down.

* It's beautiful...

The water swirled some more before returning back to the waterfall.

* Hey, Solis?

* Yeah..?

* A part of him is a part of me...could I ever become...like him?

I thought about her question. I wanted to be honest but kind.

* You've shown nothing but a good heart, Bloom.

* I don't know. Hope is the golden twin, I just...read and stay quiet. My father prefers to train with Hope, my mother prefers to talk to Hope, and I can't even be half the person he is every single day.

* There's nothing wrong with being yourself-

* Myself? Heh, Solis I'm supposed to represent all the positivity in this multiverse. Hope already has responsibilities, apparently I'm 'not quite ready'.

* You don't have to be a guardian, you just have to be yourself.

I laid my hand on her shoulder.

* Let's find our happy places together, Bloom.

* ...what?

She looked at me with confusion.

* I'm learning to stop beating myself up, let's learn together..

* How do you learn something like that...?

I took a deep breath before rolling up my sleeves.

* By forgiving ourselves and finding our happy place.

She looked at my scars for a bit before tearing up again, hugging me.

I felt my soul skip a few beats.

Rose, what's a soulmate?

A soulmate..? Well it's someone who stays no matter the storm level. Would give everything up for you, someone who makes you happy.

Heh, I don't think I'll ever find someone like that.

You sound like Flail when ya say that. You will as long as you don't force yourself to find your soulmate. Fate will being you both together.

How will I know it's my soulmate,  though?

Oh, you'll know when the moment comes.

Sure...

* I'm sorry this happened to you...

* It's okay. :)

I used magic to pick up two cupcakes as she let go; I handed one to her.

* To a new beginning..?

She smiled.

* To a new beginning. :)