Emotional Fluctuations

Sleipnir hopped off Damian's shoulder, his front paws landing softly on the metallic door handle, which clicked open the dark red wooden door. Damian followed the dark rabbit into the dim room, his eyes fixed on the large, opaque veil that divided the space.

A female voice, muffled by the veil, sounded from behind it, causing a bright, wide smile to bloom on his face.

"Seems like someone's in a good mood," the voice remarked, her tone filled with curiosity.

"What's up Pandora? Hope your stomach's doing well."

Damian took a seat, his smile still intact, as he turned to face the veil. Pandora sighed, exasperated, as she said, "That's the first thing you ask about?"

"Shouldn't you be asking: what's up, girl? How was the past month, as I couldn't be bothered to visit you?" She said in a sarcastic tone, her voice dripping with dissatisfaction.

"... Oh, so that's what it is?" He asked, but Pandora remained silent.

Damian glanced down at Sleipnir, who intently studied the dark veil.

How about you go greet her? Damian suggested to his companion, and the latter hopped over and crossed under the veil.

"Wait, what the—What!? So cute!" Pandora's voice cracked with alarm, then gasped in shock. Her tone was now filled with genuine happiness.

Letting out a chuckle, Damian questioned, a mischievous glint in his eyes, "I hope Sleipnir's presence will suffice to explain my absence and convey my apologies."

"... Eh? Sleipnir? He's your beast companion? Man, I'm so jealous." Pandora, who was now engrossed in petting Sleipnir, barely heard a word her patient said.

Damian smiled, enjoying the sound of Pandora's questioning voice. "So you were in Scriptura? Makes sense."

"And, since you were still newly awakened last time we met, I assume you went with Mateo on a 'hunting trip'?"

Damian nodded, but paused as he responded with an audible "Yes." 

Even as he concentrated, he couldn't see through the veil, as if it held a hidden runic formation that concealed its secrets.

"You're quite slow, you know?" With a deliberate tone, Pandora suddenly quipped, "Did you honestly believe you'd be able to get a look at my breathtaking beauty?"

Damian's eyes rolled in annoyance, but they froze halfway through as he spun around to once more face the deep, dark veil.

"You sure are desperate."

Pandora spoke with a sigh, her words laced with mockery. Though, Damian couldn't help but break into a mischievous grin.

Slei, send me your memories of Pandora!

Damian's primary motive for having Sleipnir hop over to Pandora was to shock his therapist with a revelation about her appearance. He was in high spirits and ready to expose her. As he smirked, he briefly felt a sense of satisfaction, but it soon dissipated when silence met him.

Sleipnir?

Yes, the dark rabbit responded from the other side of the veil.

What about her? Aren't you seeing her? Send me what you see!

'...'

As Damian's eyes furrowed in confusion, he heard a mischievous snicker that broke the silence. Pandora's initial snicker soon evolved into a chuckle, and before long, it transformed into a maniacal, derisive laugh that reverberated through the entire room. The laughter, for some reason, grated on Damian's nerves, causing his frown to deepen and his irritation to rise.

".... You're so dumb," Pandora said, checking as she placed extra emphasis on the last word. Composing herself, she remarked in a teasing tone, "You actually thought I didn't see this coming?

"That I didn't know you could share your memories with your beast companion?

"That I was clueless about you going to Scriptura?"

Her words were barely out of her mouth when she erupted into guffaw once more, further souring Damian's mood as he felt embarrassed. For some inexplicable reason, his previously joyous demeanour transformed into a bitter sensation lingering in his mouth.

With a hint of mischief and seduction in her voice, she explained, "I was simply putting on an act, sweetie. You can't expect a newbie to fool their seniors, can you?"

Raising a brow, Damian lifted his face and questioned, "Then why is he listening to you instead of me?" He then narrowed his eyes and added in suspicion. "You aren't intimidating or harming him, are you?"

"Of course not," she scoffed, her voice softening as she dismissed the notion. "I don't have the heart to hurt such a cute baby."

Yes, I love Pandora.

Sleipnir's words reverberated through Damian's mind, startling him, as he immediately pivoted the chair to face the veil.

"Okay, Sleipnir, that's it. Come back to me," he ordered, gesturing towards the opened end of the veil on the ground.

"But I think he wants to know more about me, though," Pandora said, her tone slightly possessive, directing her words towards Sleipnir.

Damian's mind started to heat up as the rabbit became increasingly confused, unsure of whose instructions to follow. To prevent his companion from succumbing to a breakdown, Damian let out a heavy sigh and leaned back in his chair.

"Whatever," Damian said. "We've limited time here anyway, and he'll have to come back to me, eventually."

"Throwing the towel with lightning speed. As expected, you truly are a rookie." Pandora's taunt drew a smirk from Damian, his eyes twitching in irritation.

This woman clearly has something going on to affect my emotions… Maybe her beast companion?

His anger subsided as he thought back to how she had mocked him. 

"Or maybe you're just short-tempered?" Pandora guessed his thoughts, leaving Damian speechless.

"How? Aren't you a practitioner like me? Also, isn't there a veil filled with concealment runes separating us?" Questions tumbled from his mouth as his face twisted in confusion.

Pandora giggled as she replied. "Yes, I'm a practitioner like you. But my ascension is long overdue."

"As for the second point," she said, her voice dripping with suspense. "You're right about the runes on the veil. As for how I'm able to read through this..." A deliberate pause followed, causing Damian's frustration to heighten.

"Secret."

Damian just shook his head as he expected this response. After being taught and experiencing the art of vagueness with his mates, he felt like he became immune to the effects of cliff hanging.

"I expected a bigger reaction, you know?" Pandora's pout was evident in her voice as Damian felt petting sensations in his mind, mirroring his companion's emotions.

At low synchronicity, a beast tamer and companion shared complex thoughts, emotions, and feelings within a limited radius. As their bond strengthened, this range expanded, ultimately encompassing an entire city at the intermediate level.

Abundance… softness… and more softness… Yep. She's definitely teasing me… He thought as he heard Pandora giggle.

Her eagerness was palpable as she suggested, "How about you share the details of your hunting trip and your experiences in the City of Green?"

Not in the mood for teasing, Damian chose to honestly recount their journey, starting from the moment they departed the Theodolf district in Musopolis, also referred to as the northern district.

"... Wow… that Pnigmos Dolos experience was already an entire story on its own."

"But a pirate ambush? Man, I don't know whether I should feel sorry for you or envious," Pandora said, her tone indicating her respect.

Damian and his team had a very eventful trip, especially considering it was Damian and Nabil's first hunting trip. Their journey through the Whisperwood forest alone was a thrilling adventure, from discovering the intriguing footprints of the Earthen Boar to fending off the Verdant stalker and dealing with layers of manipulation from the dreaded Pnigmos Dolos. 

Damian playfully huffed in response to her potential jealousy towards him. "Aren't you supposed to be a therapist?"

"So? Need I remind you I've to consult supernatural beings—in a supernatural world where you could die a mysterious death simply by looking the wrong way?"

"Why shouldn't I be atypical?"

Damian tersely acknowledged, before inquiring, "You take care of my teammates, too?"

Pandora hummed in confirmation, her fingers gently stroking Sleipnir's soft fur as he slept.

"I may be an unconventional therapist," she stated, her tone carrying a playful warning, "But I'll never betray my patient's trust by divulging their information."

I didn't ask anything, Damian inwardly remarked as his lips curled a bit. "Well, then again, I already received most of their deluxe edition premium backstories."

Pandora scoffed, as she coolly reminded, "Then I hope you reciprocated with yours."

Damian bopped his head in affirmation. This was an unspoken rule, especially in Harmonia province. Similar to the custom of introducing oneself when someone did the same, it was expected for one to share appropriate details of their life with a close one, if they had done so before.

In a gentle and dreamy voice similar to a lullaby, Pandora asked, her words soothing Damian's restless thoughts. "How did it feel? Telling them about your life, I mean?"

Damian fixed his gaze on the veil as if trying to peer beyond its concealing barrier. "At first, I didn't feel that different… In fact, I even felt a little awkward saying all that."

He then gave a smile as he explained, "But my awkwardness was unfounded as they treated me the same. Just with a newfound sense of appreciation."

Taking a moment to release a long, slow breath, he pressed on. "It only felt better when Aurelia and I discussed last night; It feels great to be in sync with others."

Despite having a similar experience in his past life, Damian couldn't draw any parallels in his current life. Having grown up in a place he considered hell, he struggled to fit into the serene lifestyle of his village, Ilios. Though he would later adapt and find connections, a part of him would always remain distinct from his siblings.

Pandora stayed silent for a moment before playfully teasing. "So, you and Aurelia had a secret conversation under the enchanting glow of the full moon and the mysterious Anti-Nebula?"

"Geez, you sure have quickly adapted to Musopolisian euphemism." She mocked, though her current emotions were indescribable.

Sleipnir, still groggy from sleep, hopped off Pandora and scrambled up Damian's shoulder, his tiny paws making a soft thud.

The dark rabbit nuzzled his companion's cheek, only to be ignored. As if reading his companion's emotions, Sleipnir projected a series of unsettling images into Damian's mind—a dark void filled with cryptic, twisted symbols.

Huh? Is that the space in the Identifier? Damian discerned what his companion was trying to convey.

I can't stay mad at you, can I? With a chuckle, Damian lovingly pressed his cheek against Sleipnir's warm fur coat.

Let's go visit the city after this, he thought as he looked back at the veil. "So, when do I get your own quality backstory?"

Pandora stood up. "Oh? So we're going straight for the backstory without even bothering to picture how I look?"

Taking a brief pause, she added in a mysterious and teasing tone, attempting to leave Damian hanging. "Well, who knows?"

She then stopped, her voice filled with a hint of amusement, as she said, "You know, you could simply lift the veil, right?"

Damian froze, his gaze dropping to the ground where the velvet dark veil floated just above. He reached out with anticipation, eager to uncover what lay hidden behind it.

Wha—he stammered, his eyes searching for Pandora, but all he saw was an opened door on the side, and a giant white paper nailed on the wall. 

In dark ink, the words mocked him: "You sure are an idiot. Keep trying, loser."

His rage began to bubble inside him, contrasting with the calming presence of Sleipnir, eventually causing him to let out a deep sigh.