Anachronistic: Endless Masquerade

38 | Bodycount

- 38 -

Swirls of a young Pandora and her beloved mentor danced through Lilith's dreams. At first, they lived alongside her in Lunden, training her to be a hunter. Moments later they chased her across the ship, hunting her as a youkai. They were only stopped when she returned to her home in Coventry. Rushing inside, her father and Pandora were waiting inside to protect her.

        In the wake of her nightmare, Lilith tried to grip tighter to Pandora, but her arms found no resistance. She was alone again, but this time she wasn't afraid of staying that way permanently. Wherever she was now, Pandora would be coming back.

        She's my girlfriend now.

        Mixed emotions swirled around the idea. On one hand, her heart swelled at the thought of Pandora's return. She had taken over Lilith's thoughts for days now. Appearing even in her sleep now. Lilith took a moment to bask in the hazy scenes before they faded from her memory forever, the way dreams often do. Was that what she really wanted for herself? To be a hunter alongside Pandora? At the moment the answer was yes. She wasn't sure about being a hunter, but she at least knew she wanted to stay by Pandora's side. Whether she deserved the spot was a different matter entirely.

        Lilith had set out to tell the truth, to admit that she was a youkai. Pandora had even asked her what she was afraid of. Given her the perfect opportunity to come clean. Yet she chickened out. How could a coward like her ever be a hunter? She didn't deserve to stay at Pandora's side.

        How can I call her my girlfriend when I'm lying to her about everything?

        Lilith pulled herself out of bed, suddenly feeling ill. There was a thump as a book fell from her lap to the floor below. A leather-bound notebook with a marking ribbon sewn into the spine. Was it Pandora's? Flipping through it Lilith found detailed notes, anatomical sketches, and hand-drawn maps. A hunter's notebook. Definitely Pandora's. Reaching the page saved by the ribbon, she found a handwritten note addressed to her.

╔═══━━━─── 🌸 ───━━━═══╗

        Lily,

        Sorry to leave you to wake up alone, but I have to speak with Allister. At the latest, I plan to be back before they bring around the dinner cart. Until then, you should rest up. I've identified the youkai that attacked you and Allister and I will need to prepare.

        If you're curious, I have left my bestiary on the desk. I marked it with a feather, but just in case it's page 211. The section labeled kotengu.

        I promise I won't let that thing touch you again. The hunt draws near.

- Pandora

╚═══━━━─── 🌸 ───━━━═══╝

        Lilith's eyes drifted to the writing desk. As the letter mentioned, a lone book sat unpacked beside Pandora's stacked luggage— a bestiary. As a child, Lilith had tried to read one from her father's library after running out of new books of her own. It was little more than an encyclopedia packed with information on different monsters. A dry read for a child, but now there was something of worth to find inside. The letter suggested she read about the bird terrorizing the ship. Maybe she would eventually, but another entry drew her curiosity more.