"Could they be the target?"
I looked over and blew out a breath through my nose. "No, they're wearing an engagement ring."
"What about that one?"
"No, his outfit is too gaudy."
"We've been at this for ages," Rowan groaned, sliding a hand down his face. "Are you even sure this guy exists?"
"One hour, to be exact," I muttered, scraping off the melted dredges of my third mango ice cream. "And yes, I'm sure. Why are you worried, anyways? It's my neck on the line if this goes south."
"I have my reasons." He pointed at my empty bowl. "Want another one? I'll pay."
"Nah, it's okay." I sighed in content. "I've missed mangoes so much."
"You didn't have them in your last story?"
I shook my head. "I was actually deathly allergic to mangoes. Yeah, it's how I died in the end and got transported here."
"Wait, you died?" His jaw dropped. "Do you— do you know what happened to the body afterwards, Mango?"
I shrugged, trying to mask my curiosity behind nonchalance. "No, and I don't really care. I try not to think about what happens to the original soul when I enter the body— it might drive me mad."
A movement outside the window caught my eye and I sat up straighter, activating my dragon's sight to peer through the burning sunlight.
"Hey, Dreamer, look here." I jutted my chin out. "It's the main leads— Calista and Calix."
"Calista and Calix?" His nose scrunched up. "Wow, the author wasn't messing around with this whole fated love idea. Can you see where they're going?"
I craned my neck, tapping my foot on the ground. "I think they're going into the clothing store— wait! I've found him!"
"The second male lead?" His head whipped around. "How do you know it's him?"
"No author would waste such good looks on a mere side character."
A young man— perhaps just older than Jia— had stopped on the street opposite to the café and was staring at his surroundings in faint wonder as he fumbled with a novel in his hands. His blonde hair curled at the tips and swept over emerald green eyes set into a rather angular face. He was quite lanky, but must have come from a background of large enough wealth to afford the tailored, dark blue waistcoat, and matching trousers with a gold pocket watch that I would bet the Cloak of Secrets on had a tragic backstory behind it.
I kept my eye on him, my muscles were coiled up and prepared to propel me into the street the second I saw him interacting with the leads. Excitement thrummed through me and I had to force myself to calm down before I accidentally set the place on fire. The metal spoon bent into an awkward shape beneath my fingers.
"Oh come on now." Rowan rolled his eyes. "This is just getting ridiculous! It's not fair for the main characters to keep an entire cast's worth of attractiveness for themselves. Sure, beauty is subjective, but still. This buff is having severe knock-on effects on my confidence."
I chuckled and arched a brow. "Were you at least handsome in your original body?"
"This is my original body."
"...Oh."
"Am I not handsome?" His lips tugged down and his voice took on a sad tone.
"That's not what I meant!" My cheeks warmed from the flush that was surely spreading across them, and I was thankful Jia's darker complexion masked it. "You are, I suppose, rather attractive f–from certain perspectives and, uh, I'm sorry. I didn't know it's your original body."
"It's okay." He waved me off, brushing away the non-existent dust from his brown jacket. "I'm curious to know what you looked like in your original body?"
I flinched, swallowing back the thick knot in the base of my throat and rolled my bottom lip between my teeth. My heart hammered against my ribs, sending bolts of pain throughout my chest. "It's not important. Let's focus on making a plan. I can distract Calista when she appears, but you'll need to cause Calix and the mystery man to meet."
"How am I supposed to do that?"
"You're a thief, correct? Don't insult my intelligence and deny it." I pointed my deformed spoon at him. "Go and steal the watch from mystery lead's pocket and run towards Calix. He will probably tackle you to the ground or something, so be prepared. This should, hopefully, be enough to get them to talk."
"Why do I have to embarrass myself like that?"
"Because they won't remember it later. Also, it's my head on the chopping block if this fails, so you really don't have a right to complain."
As if the universe— or, rather, the plot— was aligning with my interests for once, Calix and Calista appeared, cheeks flushed and eyes glittering with barely restrained happiness. Around thirty or so metres separated them from the second lead.
I stood and slapped a few coins on the table. "Alright, it's showtime."
I pushed my way through the crowd, which had at least doubled since I'd arrived, muttering excuses and apologies as I stepped on feet and edges of dresses.
In front of me, Rowan moved through the crowd with a fluid motion I wished I could possess; his slender fingers slipped into pockets and open purses of nobles who were too engrossed in their conversations to care. When he caught my eye, he winked as if daring me to raise the alarm. It made my blood boil and I had to dig my nails into my arm to hold back. He's too valuable for me to lose right now.
Outside, the heat pressed down on me like a lead shroud. Every inhale felt as though my lungs were being crushed between metal hands, and I fanned myself while looking around. There.
"Oh, Calista!" I called, pressing my hand to my chest and summoning every drop of excitement I could muster. "I thought I saw you!"
Her eyes lit up and she rushed over, shouting this body's name while babbling about something. However, she didn't notice the rock that just happened to be in her path. In true, female lead fashion, she cried out and fell.
Out of instinct, I lunged forward with my arms outstretched.
"Cally!" With a muscular arm and unrealistic dexterity, Calix leaped forward and scooped her up seconds before she hit the ground. They spun, clasped in each other's embrace, and stopped nose-to-nose with red cheeks and wide eyes.
Unfortunately, momentum carried me forward and I fell splat on the ground without a single good-looking person to break my fall.
My teeth crashed against cobble and pain exploded in my skull. I groaned as my palms dug into sharp stones. You have got to be kidding me.
"Are you okay?"
I pushed myself to my knees, picking out pieces of gravel from my flesh with no desire to see the characters swoon over each other. Acidic mango rose to the back of my throat and I swallowed it down, trying to hold back the tears threatening to spill over.
"Hey, I asked if you were okay, Lady Jia?"
I froze, slowly turning from my bloodied palm to Calix crouched over me, concern marring his usually cold expression.
"Wha– what?" I managed to force out. He shouldn't be looking at me right now. He should only be focussed on the female lead.
He frowned. "Did the fall knock your remaining brain cells out of your head?"
"I'm fine," I snarled, using my sleeve to wipe my nose. Calix held out his hand and I stared at it in surprise. "Thank you—"
My blood ran ice cold in my veins. Calix had morphed into a vaguely humanoid shape, emitting a white glow, with black letters etched on the surface that spiralled over his body. I looked over his shoulder and saw Calista was the same form.
"G– get back!" I shrieked, glancing around as my breaths quickened. Everything was the same. White shapes with dark lettering.
Everything except me.
I was covered– no, made up of– green ones and zeroes. But they... they were disappearing. From the hem of my dress all the way up to my waist. Fading away into black. Despair rooted me to the spot.
A high pitched whine burst through my mind. Any coherent thought I'd formed was swept away by the tidal wave of pain. Gone. Gone. Gone. I was gone. I was—
I opened my mouth and screamed. A Name. A Word. I didn't know what it was. Tears streamed down my face and I screamed again and again and again. I needed this to stop. Why won't it stop?
Shadows swirled around my body and I could feel myself getting pulled away. Sucked away. Something was there, draining my life force, drinking every drop of sanity I possessed.
Save me.
Footsteps thundered over stone.
A face, blurred with fear, appeared in my vision. Corpse-ash grey hair.
He shouted something as he grabbed my hand and pulled. I knew this man. I'd seen him a hundred– no, a thousand times before. Different expressions of the same face spun through my mind like the frames of a movie. Who is he?
"Oh, hell no," a harsh voice pierced through the fog.
I turned my head and slowly blinked. A woman with dark hair tucked into a neat bun was standing a few feet away. Her light purple dress fell down in a single sheet and was etched with glittering patterns which seemed to shimmer as she glided over to me. She had tanned skin and slanted eyes that were narrowed in fury at me. Is that... me?
"You do not get to steal my body and then decide to lose it."
Nails dug into my shoulders and I was pulled out of the void. The world dissolved into a myriad of colours and I was falling–
"Wake up!"
I gasped and lurched forward, slamming my palm against my chest as coughs wracked my body.
An arm wrapped around my shoulders and I was pulled into a firm embrace, my cheek pressed against coarse cloth. I inhaled deeply, trying to force as much oxygen back into my lungs as possible.
"You're okay," Rowan muttered, rocking backwards and forwards, not relenting his grip on me. "You're okay. You're okay."
The words tumbled out of my mouth before I could stop them, "Dreamer, have we met before?"
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Total word count: 13 519
I hope you guys liked it!
Stay safe and thanks for reading :)