Her Beacon (Acheron x Caelus)

Chapter Seven

Sparkle reveled in the unfettered chaos of her own making; the notion of a lawful existence was dreadfully monotonous. Neutrality held no allure for her either, laden with its own unspoken regulations. As for the paths of darkness, why confine oneself to the role of the villain when one could dance across the battlefield, eliciting gasps and cheers alike? She was the self-appointed mistress of ceremonies, the wildcard no one could predict.

However, her musings were abruptly interrupted by an unexpected thump to the head.

Bonk!

"Owwie! Fuu! Why did you hit my head!?" she whined, nursing the sore spot with a frown.

Caelus stood there, a mix of confusion and exasperation brewing within him, steam almost visibly escaping his hand. His next word was concise yet weighty with demand. "Explain."

Sparkle's eyes glimmered mischievously, and a sly grin spread across her face. "Whatever do you mean~?" she teased, her tone dripping with feigned innocence.

It was just the two of them in this desolate void, and she couldn't resist toying with her sole source of amusement.

Fishing out a frayed piece of red string from his pocket, Caelus's frustration was palpable. "This. Explain," he commanded, his impatience clear.

Evaluating the piece of string, Sparkle pondered her next move. Caelus's piercing gaze sent a flutter through her — a mix of irritation and reluctant admiration. 'Curse his handsome looks,' she thought. 'Though it's matched only by my own irresistible charm.'

While she debated internally, Caelus gave a weary glance around them. The area resembled the Reverie, except it was filled with blue bubbles of various sizes floating aimlessly or sticking to the surrounding furniture and walls.

"How did we end up here..." he mumbled, more to himself than to Sparkle.

Seizing the opportunity to weave her narrative, Sparkle suggested, "Hmm, it could be that slash we saw before tumbling into this place. I must confess, events have taken quite the unforeseen turn."

Caelus's brow arched in curiosity, a seed of her theory taking root in his mind. "How did you come to that conclusion?" he inquired.

Perched playfully on the ledge, legs swinging, Sparkle shared her insights with an infectious enthusiasm. "What have your friends in the Astral Express told you about Penacony? They call it a 'planet of dreams', but they only scratch the surface. Imagine, if you will, that we can achieve anything here; every possibility, every chance — it becomes reality. But it's not isolated; our dreams converge, mingling with others in this world."

Caelus listened, her words somehow resonating with an internal truth he hadn't fully acknowledged before. "Mingling with others...? What do you mean by that?" he asked, his tone reflecting his growing engagement.

"Hmm, let's consider accidents within dreams. Each person's dreams are their own but shared in the collective canvas of Penacony, where they can intersect, clash. It suggests that our actions, even thoughts, might affect others around us, whether we mean them to or not," Sparkle elucidated.

Caelus absorbed her words, his frown deepening. Despite her whimsical manner, the Masked Fool's words painted a plausible picture of their current predicament. The mystery of their sudden displacement lingered in his thoughts, compounded by her theory of an accidental clash in the dreamscape.

Seeing his contemplation, Sparkle took the chance to delve deeper. "Like that slash — it wasn't meant for us, yet here we are. So, after my little explainer on the nature of dreams, how does death factor into your musings?"

---

While Sparkle reveled in her realm of chaos and Caelus grappled with the bizarre turn of events that had led him to an unexpected encounter, elsewhere the aftermath of Acheron's outburst unfurled.