joy: book one: the blooming.

chapter XXIII: mariposa oblivion//fabelwesen.

The familiar cry of a young man echoed in a colorless dream, his tears creating ripples upon the void's surface.
Evangelique ran in the dark, her feet touching the nothingness. Nihility traced her flesh, causing her to shiver. Black butterflies flew up from under her feet, stroking her runaway strands of hair.

"Can you hear it, child?" asked a voice. Evangelique turned to see Eleanor standing sepulchral.

She wore a golden crown of flowers and thorns upon her head. Every strand of her starlight hair shimmered within the folds of dark fog. Gold and sea-blue eyes gazed at Eva, reminding her of a vast and abandoned sea.

"Are you a ghost?" questioned Evangelique, amazed by the sight of Eleanor.
"I am only a vision made up from Tsubaki's memories of me," replied Eleanor. "There is no such thing as ghosts after death."
"Then how come I can see you?" asked Eva.
"Because of Kioku-daya's powers that he gives his Lieutenants," informed Eleanor. "You two are connected, but he also trusts you more than anyone in this world."

Evangelique felt her hands quake. She had become friends with Tsubaki but did it truly mean she gained his trust?

"I am the remnants of his joyful memories; formed into dream matter," she stated randomly. "Though I am a thing easily forgotten, I will never be gone if he recalls where joy derives from."

The glimpse of a childhood memory flashed in Evangelique's head. For a moment, she saw her mother smiling down at her in the halls of a church.
Though her lips moved, Eva could not hear her words.

"Why am I so alone?" cried the young man's voice, cutting Eva away from her thoughts. Evangelique turned away from Eleanor and looked within the flight paths of the raven-hued butterflies.
"I'm here!" shouted Eva frantically.
"Why must I be despised?" mourned the voice.
"I don't hate you!" yelled Eva. She began to run away from Eleanor, into the mysterious dark.
"Why am I lost?" he wailed. "Why must I remain a curse and curse alone?"
"I"m here!!" screamed Eva. Tears streamed down her cheeks, fading into the surrounding oblivion.
"I...I don't want to die yet, Eleanor," whispered the voice, sorrowfully. "I can't die yet..."
"What...?" breathed Eva.

The mariposa parade swarmed around her body, creating threads of silk within their movements. The silk surrounded Eva, enclosing her in a cocoon of darkness. Anxiety programmed her limbs, and she tore at her captivity. Like an anchor in an ocean, she felt her body sink in despair. Monochrome effervescence flew from her lips and took her tears with the ascendence.

"Please, don't let me die!!" begged the tormented voice.
"Please, Miss Evangelique," whispered Eleanor. She was visible through the cracks of the cocoon and flickering fast like a candle on a windy night. She brought her hands to her chest and put them together as if to prepare for prayer.

The pockets of air caressing Eva's lips entered her mouth; choking her and stinging her throat with a saltwater taste. Even in her submergence, she remained focused on Eleanor and her pleas.

"Remind him of that joy once more..." she cried as she faded into the tenebris of the dream.

"Eva!!" called a voice.

Evangelique's eyes opened quickly. Tears poured from her azure eyes like an unsubdued waterfall. Ago stood over her with his hands on her shoulders.
"What's wrong?" asked Eva alertly, wiping away her tears.
"Tsubaki is gone," whispered Ago.
"What!?" exclaimed Eva.
"Shhh!" said Ago hastily. "The others are asleep!"

Eva looked at her companions. Augustine had fallen asleep sitting a chair, while the other three fell asleep on the second couch in the living room.