The Puppet on the Strings

Leap of Faith

I blink rapidly, feeling slowly coming back to my body. I feel cold. I'm on my hands and knees. My heart is pounding. It feels like I'm spinning. 

"How's she here?!" a familiar masculine voice exclaims. I feel a hand grip under my arm, lifting me to my feet. I look between the figures, jumping back. Their appearances were strange, but their figures were somehow familiar. 

I look between each figure, three of them appearing human. There was a strangely cartoonish cat in the group as well, holding a curved sword. 

"We need to get her out of here," the cat states, looking up at a figure dressed in a black leather coat with red gloves, holding a dagger in hand. 

I couldn't place where I've heard the cat's voice. I've never really seen him, but I think I heard him when I blacked out.

"Wait, I don't wanna kick her out like you guys did to me!" a feminine voice exclaims.

"What is this place?" I ask, trying to stop their discussion. I don't plan on leaving. Not yet.

"It's your palace," the figure in the leather coat states, removing his black and white mask. I furrow my eyebrows. "Wait, Akira? Then..."

Ann and Ryuji remove their masks as well, the cat approaching me. "We'll tell you later! You can't be here!"

I look around, the whole place looming over me. Theater seats? I approach a seat, struggling to climb up. Someone grabs around my waist, pulling me off. I flail my arms, accidentally hitting Akira in the face. "Put me down! I need to see it!"

"Not gonna happen," the cat figure states. "Quick, someone take her back!"

Ryuji steps forward, grabbing my wrist. "I got it..."

I pull my arm back. "No. I'm not leaving! And I'm not following orders from a cat!"

Morgana's eyes fall, throwing his head on the ground. "I'm not just a cat!"

I look to Morgana, my expression falling. "I'm sorry... I just can't leave myself like this! I can't even understand myself and this is the one time I'll-"

Ryuji pushes me forward, heading towards a set of large double doors. "Later. We can't let you get yourself hurt."

When we approach, the large doors open. The outside looks hazy, but just as big as everything around me right now. What's this all supposed to mean?

Before I can get away, Ryuji pushes me past the doors, my surroundings blurring together. It feels like I'm surrounded by nothing.

My feet land onto a hard surface, but are too weak to hold me up. I fall to the ground, looking around. I'm no longer surrounded by large theater chairs, but rather large buildings loom over me.

I look behind me, collapsing to my knees. Tears roll down my cheeks. My one chance to know who I am is gone. Nobody else can ever get that chance. It feels cruel. I get the chance to know myself, but thrown out before I can even look.

I trusted him. He trusted me, but I know I broke that trust. It's my own fault. I wouldn't even be surprised if they left immediately. By the way the cat worded it, I could have messed up everything by being there. 

I grit my teeth, gripping my phone tightly in my hand. I throw it at the wall, not caring that it's now shattered. What does it matter? I'm more broken than my phone. Why should I care if I broke it? Nobody else will.

I push myself onto my feet, looking down at my phone. Why am I such a pain for everyone around me? Why does everything hurt me?

Cleaning my eyes, I notice a light glare through my tears. I look down, no cracks on my phone. Weird. Then again, I didn't check yet. At least one thing isn't broken.