Calamity

A R C IV. | S C E N E VII.

Scene VII: Fiancée of Butterflies and Bubbles

One may never find another with such hope lingering in their eyes as Vanitas found a lady on his doorstep. She was barely over the age of twenty yet he could tell in a second by looking just a bit closer; a calm and collected swarm of butterflies fluttered around her. She wasn’t of this world. That was certain.

“May I help, Miss?” Vanitas’ confusion was visible as cloudless day. He met hundreds of thousands of beings yet she wasn’t someone familiar-looking. With her middle-length brown hair and eyes, fair skin, and soft facial features. Yet her clothes… they seemed familiar. The layers of cotton and boots on her legs were surely from Earth. Vanitas was sure.

Her eyes grew hopeful as she seemed certain, a tone representing both relief, and sorrow, “You're him, Vanitas himself! I have a few questions if I may.”

Now Vanitas didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. How would a woman, a woman out of this world know of him? He had made sure to leave no traces when moving from place to place. Dietrian’s head popped out at the door and his face seemed more in control of the situation. “I know her! She's Miss Alysia, a time traveller!” he exclaimed, not yet earning Vanitas’ trust as he lightly shoved Dy’s head back into the cabin.

“What would a presumed time traveller need from a mere swordsman such as myself?” His tone wasn’t arrogant, it wasn’t portraying his confusion either, yet… something was up with that woman and Vanitas knew that well.

“Rumours’ been going around you have been to Earth. I seek a way to go back myself. Answers is all I'm here for.” Alysia spoke truthfully, all the while Vanitas eyed a butterfly resting on her shoulder.

“I'm afraid I cannot help, Miss. I've never been to Earth, sorry to disappoint.”

No need to say Alysia’s face fell. She was certain Vanitas had been to her home. He had to. And so, she asked again in a more patient tone, “Has Kazuha also not been to Earth?”

Now it was the knight’s turn to get baffled inside. Nobody but the cranes, Radian and the brothers knew Kaz was even existing. Let alone only Radian knew Kaz had been to Earth before. “I'm afraid I cannot help.” Needless to say that was the first thing the man mustered up to say. He, himself, for once in thousands of years got scaredy, like a black cat looking at the downpour raining dogs and cats.

“I know you’ve been to Earth; I've been to the Inn in a Gilliard’s dream. I'm only asking to get back. I mean no harm!” Vanitas was just about to turn and close the door. Gilliard’s dream… that means this woman knows of the past as well. The past of war… and so, Vanitas stayed outside, locking the door behind him. “I saw your son in the Inn and you, as well. I mean no harm, yet I'm desperate enough to ask. How do I get back to Earth?”

“An earthling? Is that what Miss Alysia is, no?” Vanitas sighed and further asked. And she told him. Most of the things she remembered, she told him. “Miss Alysia means to tell she's been reincarnated into this world of monsters and saints, as a simple human? Is that correct?”

“Yes, yes. I mean… look at my body, don’t I look human?”

“Do I not?” scoffed Vanitas. There was a plot hole in her explanation. Planes, aircrafts as she called it, Vanitas had no idea what those were. Those weren’t an invention of the eighteenth-century world of humans. “These ‘planes’, I'm afraid I never heard of them before. And I have intel, still. Don’t you find it strange? That is the only thing you're missing. Not the butterflies, not the clothes, not the body; the time. Come back with a better lie, darling.” And with that, he unlocked the door and went inside with a huff.