A Chained Memory

Sirius gave her a gentle smile "If you want to help us, you can do it by being happy here and smiling." He replied with a comforting tone "Also, you don't have to call me sir, you can call me Sirius, okay?" He then looked at Ix "Make sure your friend is happy, understood, Ix?"

Ix smiled back at him "Of course! Aura is a good friend! I'll do my best to make her happy here."

"Everyone here is your friend, and if not that, then at the very least your Ally," Adrianna said soothingly. "If you need help, we're here for you."

"I apologize." she said, bowing again. "I do not know why but you struck me as a knight from my memories." she shook her head. "Ah, forget it. I am still having trouble remembering most details."

She noticed it was getting late... and they were still outside somehow. Not that it bothered her in the slightest, but they did make a point of not staying for much longer.

"If being happy is all that is required then..." she stopped for a moment. "I am... I am happy." she answered with a smile. "Thank you, everyone."

"It's not a requirement, Aura..." Sirius replied "I'm going to ask you something and I want you to answer me from the bottom of your heart..." Sirius looked at her with a smile "Are you happy for being here? Not as a requirement but how you truly feel."

Ix kept observing the exchange, she knew what Aura was going to answer, she smiled and waited for her friend to answer her father's question.

She opened her mouth to speak but stopped. Ix was watching with anticipation... and her smile, it melted her heart. Aura closed her eyes and smiled as well.

"I have only been here for two days, Sir... Sirius." she reflected upon everything that happened. Unlike before with Ix, her state was one of calm, likely as an effect of Tam's magic or from her memories stabilizing. "I do not think it as simple as you make it out to be." she continued. "I do not even know my own name, let alone my true feelings."

Her tone was disheartening. She could almost see Ix's expression start to turn into one of sadness. But she wasn't done yet. "However... if there is one feeling I would like to hold on to, it would be the one I feel whenever Ix, Jenny, Tam and Miss Adri are around." her answer was genuine, spoken with royal grace. "That feeling alone I would like to single out - that feeling which I can now call 'Happiness'."

Sirius smile grew bigger "Well said, Aura, we are all here for you." He added patting her head gently.

"I'm so happy that you can feel that way here," Adri said giddily.

Tam remained silent.

Is it just me, or did she suddenly become a lot more eloquent?
Well, yes. They are words straight from her heart...
Jennifer, how did your confession of feelings go again?
.....

Tam smiled, but there was a hint of uncertainty in her eyes, unnoticable to most.
"Do you want to know your name?" Tam asked, stepping forwards. "Or would you prefer to remain as Aura?"

Her smile vanished. This question... she thought about it before - more and more with each memory revealed. Tam's words reminded her of what Ix said as well. Creating new memories or reclaiming old ones; could she really make that choice? It seemed that despite everything, Tam could read her mind without problems... No, she was even better than the others.

"Tam, I do not think... the choice is mine to make." her expression was almost melancholic. "And my name... hurts the most when I try to remember." her voice weakened, yet she tried to maintain composure. "The one that knows nothing should want nothing." the girl seemed to quote something, almost word for word.

"But the way you asked me..." she looked the kitsune straight in the eye. For a few moments, Aura seemed like a different person entirely; from her steely gaze to her tone of voice. "You wanted an answer. So instead I ask you: What would that answer be? Were you to be in my place, what would your choice be?"

Tam watched the girl carefully, noticing the differences between her 'blank' self, and the more assertive personality that she held.
"I've been in a similar position in the past. I was given a choice. To reconcile with my 'true self', and become what I should have been all along, or to fade away into nothingness, leaving behind the innocent to control the actions of my body." Tam responded. "I chose the former, in the hopes of one day reconnecting. But when the chance finally came along for me to join with my innocent self, there was a complication." Tam explained. "We had become too different to become one again."

Tam paused as she thought through her next words.
"However, it seems to me that your 'true self', when given the choice, made the opposite decision. I understand why someone would make that choice, but it is not one that I would make, even knowing how it all has turned out." Tam glanced momentarily at Tix, before turning her attention back to Aura. "Especially knowing how it all turned out. The only advice I can give is, whatever you decide, don't expect everything to go the way you think it will. There will always be complications."

Tam sighed.
"The short answer is, in your position, I would rather reconnect with my true self than forever wonder what could have been. But beware that what you discover, you may not like." Tam nodded. "Does that answer your question?"

Tix noticed Tam's glance and started to meditate about some stuff, she had been unfair to the girl, when said girl had been through the same she and Tam and yet... She distrusted her... She yelled at her... If she knew what was to feel guilty, she would be feeling really guilty right now... She would have to apologize to Aura... But not now, not in front of everyone... Specially not in front of Tam.

Aura nodded. Her 'true' self... could Tam know even what she didn't? But she was right. Aura was curious. The blonde just couldn't let this go, not after she had already started to remember. Her head was filled with thoughts - conflicting thoughts about everything that happened and will happen.

"Thank you, Tam." her smile returned. "For opening up to me... and for helping me make my choice."

With that said, the girl made her way towards the door. "I... need some time alone."

"Go right ahead, Aura, you have some time alone," Adrianna said. "I'll clean up the table, and if you need me, I'll either be here or in my bedroom."

Ix was about to offer to accompany Aura to her room when Tix interrupted her "I'll walk you to your room." Tix said.

"Huh?"

Aura was surprised that Tix of all people would offer to do that. Was there something she said earlier that made this happen?

"Th-thank you?"

Tix walked to the door and waited for Aura to catch her "Hey... I won't say it again so pay attention..." Tix waited for a moment, Aura might think that she was going to threaten her again but "I'm sorry for what I said before..."

It was hard to say if she expected it or not. After all, everyone seemed to want to be friends with her. And for some reason, when Tix said it, it all seemed a little bit more genuine.

"Ah, I see. There is no need to worry." her tone was calm. "I appreciate it, Tix."

The girl opened the door to her room, preparing to enter it. "See you later... tomorrow."

Night fell upon Sanctuary and brought with it the end of another day. Aura remained awake in her room, getting some well-needed moments of solitude to gather her thoughts. She had made an unexpected new friend today, one that she felt understood her better than the rest.

Tam... I will not disappoint you.

Hidden Condition Met

But something was hiding in her still, something she had managed to elude everyone from. She would not sleep tonight.

Day 3

The water was crystal clear, perfect for a parched throat. A deer hopped from between the trees, settling by the rushing river. Gently lowering its head, the animal began drinking. The deer could see itself in the water, the countless trees of the forest and the little birds greeting a beautiful sunrise with song. But there was something else in the reflection - a color to contrast the beauty of nature. It was something that did not belong, a blob of slime brushing against the grass.

The deer tried running, but it was too late. A dark tendril grabbed hold of its leg, making it trip over and slowly getting dragged into the creature. It did not have the strength to stand up - it was not needed anymore, for its purpose was fulfilled; the predator was fed.

Weak... so weak. It wasn't enough, not even close. At this rate, it would spend the entire day feeding on morsels. Regardless, it marched on, driven by the ever-growing desire to consume everything. Yet something was calling out to it... the greatest of feasts... and it was so close.

With newfound fervor, the creature rushed back into the thick of the forest, intending to get a closer look at the enormous power it was feeling.

A tall hooded figure began to make their way through the forest. They walked with clear purpose, as if intuitively knowing that ever step they took was a step closer to their objective. A confidence that was rarely seen outside of the cities. Navigating the brush was no simple task, but this figure seemed to be managing it as if it was no hindrance at all. But then they paused, and seemed to stop walking all together. Had they noticed something?

It stopped... this person was... could this person... know?

With a clear view, the creature recognized the person as kin. There was nothing to be afraid of... nothing...
It was not so sure anymore. With the events of the previous days flashing by... it learned that the kin was prone to violence, prone to protecting prey. It should strike first, before they notice.

The slime made its presence known, rearing for a sudden attack... but stopped. This person was kin. It would not hunt kin. This deliberate selection was something stronger than all of its instincts, an undying will of a mind that once was.

Now the stranger was alerted...

A voice boomed out from the hooded figure, much louder than what could have simply been vocal chords.

"Hesitation when attacking a foe is unwise." The hooded figure turned to face directly towards the slime.

"You are most fortunate that you are not my foe." The hood fell down yo her back revealing her stunning features to the slime. Before the slime stood Zara. She appeared to hold no aggression to the slime. On the contrary, she seemed to be impressed by its decision to not attack, as if she'd been testing it.

Even her words trembled with power. This woman was much stronger than anticipated. So much so that even attempting a direct assault would result in the end of its life. And they both knew that.

The slime began spurting its usual gibberish; the amalgamation of noises and vocal tones that made no sense to any who encountered it so far. Yet Zara could see something... a pattern. It was repeating itself, the same sounds over and over, as if trying to send a message.

Zara watched the slime. Despite its inability to communicate effectively, it seemed to be intelligent enough to make decisions. After all, it had used judgement to decide against attacking. And there was a repetition in its sounds that made it clear that, although it was not necessarily a language, it was an attempt at one.

"I see. So you were drawn to my energy, correct? Is it power that you seek? Or do you merely wish to be understood?" Zara asked, having confirmed that it was no threat to her.

The slime briefly assumed the shape of a woman, struggling to keep its form. The mouth opened and the noise turned to voice. "Kin..."

As soon as the word left it so did its shape, returning to the form of a black blob.

Zara raised an eyebrow.
"I see. Perhaps I misjudged your intentions." Zara commented. She had assumed that the slime had no attacked out of fear of her power. But it seemed that the slime was saying that it had made a choice out of more than just a basic survival instinct. This had huge ramifications. The slime had considered attacking her despite not wishing to harm her. Perhaps the attack itself would have been out of fear. This would not be the first time she'd met a scared and weak being, attacking her out of fear. Hoping to land the first hit, just to survive.

Zara sighed and summoned up a large ball of energy, before crystalising it into a solid form. It appeared to be like a dark orb, with a swirling of energy with in. She placed it on the ground, and slowly rolled it between herself and the slime.

"Here." She commented, as the orb came to a stop between the pair. "Your body should be able to digest the orb's surface, and this should give you the energy to survive for a good few years." Zara added, showing no hostility in her action.