[85.13] Waiting a 1000 Years to Meet You

Over the next few days, Moni observed Zephyr's actions as if trying to determine whether he was really him or not. The fox still had the same mannerisms, but it was as if he had forgotten what happened to himself during childhood.

So was he the same fox?

Or maybe he was pretending not to know.

Moni couldn't blame him for forgetting or forcing himself to. Zephyr's childhood was anything but perfect. Not to mention the last day he saw him on the mountain-

Moni's eyes grew dark as he recalled that bloody scene. 

As if noticing his back mood, Reika and Cyrus glanced back at him. However, before either could catch onto anything suspicious, he would put on an innocent smile and play the part of Felix.

"I have a question." Moni rejoined the conversation and watched as Reika pulled out the stone and held it out to Cyrus, "Do you know what this is?"

Moni gave it a glance and recognized what it was immediately.

Only Lovi could be capable of making such a cursed object.

…But where did this girl find it?

Zephyr shrieked, "THAT'S THE D*MN THING THAT IMPRISONED ME!"

Moni felt his heart freeze over.

So that's where he had been all this time?

But who could have gotten this stone?

As Moni pondered over this, he was completely ignoring the ensuing fight between the two until-

"S-Spit it out! Quickly!"

*GULP*

Everyone froze.

Moni blinked, "Reika… Did you just…"

Swallow my sister's cursed stone!?!

She put on a wise expression, "Ah… I see… Well… One of two things is about to happen. I'm either going to die, or I'm going to turn into a superhero." 

Zephyr glared at me, "You better not die!!!" 

Moni heard this and felt a flicker of jealousy.

Reika looked back at him with dewy eyes, "Aw… You care if I live or die?" 

Zephyr barked back, "NO! If you die then I will too!"

Moni's face twitched so miniscule, it remained undetected. He forced himself to put on a weak expression despite the cursing irritation in his soul. He added in a small voice, "I-I think the likelihood of death is very high…"

Cyrus nodded quickly, "Exactly! Now is not the time to be joking around!"

"What do you suggest I do?! I've already swallowed it!"

Caldwell watched her with a concerned look, "Maybe you should try puking it out?"

"Good idea." She met our silent gazes with a naive expression, "...How exactly do I make myself puke?" 

Caldwell shrugged, "I have no idea. Birds don't have a gag reflex."

"Don't birds vomit up food for their babies?"

He smiled, "How would I know? I don't have a baby."

As Moni listened to the interaction between the two, he felt himself getting angrier. Felix noticed this and spoke on his behalf, "O-Oh! You could drink poison. One of the symptoms is vomiting!"

Moni: "..."

She stared at him blankly, "How do you know this?"

He grinned, "I like plants."

"I hate plants." Zephyr stuck out his tongue, "I prefer eating steak."

Moni let out a laugh and instinctually reached out to pet the top of his head.

As soon as his hand touched that silky hair, hundreds of memories came flooding in. With a trembling heart, he ran his palm over the boy's head.

The fox child purred and leaned in to the petting just as he had over 1000 years ago.

For the first time in a while, Moni finally had on a genuine smile.

He had finally found his little brother.