The night was awkward, but they headed back in the morning—sneaking in, of course. On the way, he explained everything that had happened and how she needed to take control of the city in his place by faking a fight. Sadly for him—
"No, I don't want to."
He stopped in his tracks before stiffly turning back to her, a nervous smile on his face.
"What do you mean? This is something we hav—"
"I don't want to do it so I won't. Think of another plan."
Sunny's nervous smile grew more strained. Had she gone insane while being away? He hadn't even asked her where she was this whole time yet. That could wait until they met with Cassie, but for now he had to convince her.
"It's a fake fight! Think of it like a sparring match!"
She simply shook her head no. She was so immature!
"Even so, people would think I'm against you then, wouldn't they? I don't want that."
He let out a sigh. He didn't think she was so wary of public perception, but even still—was it this big of a deal to completely scrap the plan he'd been planning and staging for months now?
"Who cares what people think! As long as we know that we're cool, we'll always be cool, right?"
He waved his hand at her, smiling in hopes of releasing some of the tension surrounding her, but sadly her next words caused him to tense up instead.
"I am a very selfish person, Sunny. If I want the whole city—no, the whole world—to know that you and Cassie are mine, then they will know that. If that is my will—"
"Hold on, run that back one more time for me!"
She had gone crazy! She really had gone crazy! Maybe they could find a therapist in the Dark City—after all, there were many occupations now! Has he gone insane?! Maybe he was just misreading her words and she meant... comrad—
"Didn't you understand last night? You said you were going to die at the end of your journey. I said I wouldn't let that happen. That means your life is now in my hands. Is that not the basis for marriage? And Cassie as well, after all she is dearly import—"
"Please... stop talking..."
Resting his head on his hand, he looked up, his face flushed. He was almost on the verge of tears from the sheer amount of heat in his face at the moment.
"I think there may be some confusion... marriage deals with a ring! Or an item to commence your love for someone! And then vows and documents and stuff like that..."
Nephis looked down at his body that was shrinking in on itself before walking up to him and placing her hand on his, which caused him to jolt back. Though before he could say anything, a sound rang in his ear.
[You have received a memory.]
"Make sure to give it back later though, this is only temporary until we get back into the waking world. I do need that for something."
Sunny ignored her words and summoned the memory, only to be met with a crown.
"Huh?"
Nephis, as casual as she was when she "proposed," spoke once more.
"It's one of the keys. Oh right, I didn't tell you... while I was gone, I left and went to collect every key needed to escape the Dark City."
She truly had gone crazy.
---
They had snuck back into the Dark City, going directly into the castle to the room he stayed in. Cassie was there and turned toward the window as the curtains opened.
"Did you find anything?"
Sunny smiled. After Nephis left, Cassie was different. She wasn't exactly mopey, but sometimes she spaced out randomly while in the middle of tasks.
"I got two things actually. Whichever one's more of a good find depends on you."
She raised her eyebrow before she felt a hand grasp hers. It wasn't Sunny, but rather Nephis who grabbed her hand. Without even needing to speak a word, Cassie knew. Sunny knew she knew because a tear rolled down her face and her legs gave out in an instant. She broke into sobs while resting in Nephis's arms.
He felt guilty... guilty that this whole time he was focused on his grand plan, he neglected Cassie's bubbling emotions. That's why he had a gift for her that he could only hope would make up for all of that. Sadly, that would have to wait until their little reunion was over.
---
A little more than an hour passed before she was able to calm down. No words were exchanged between the three. At the moment, they were all laying in the large bed that was always far too big for Cassie and Sunny, but now with the three of them in it, the bed was cramped. In a good way though—the bed grew softer, the sheets warm and the pillow cold.
"I wish I could lay here for days... my back is killing me."
Nephis nodded while laying down before looking back up at the ceiling.
"Once we get back into the waking world, let's all just lay in bed for a week and eat all we can."
Sunny remembered what she had said earlier while they were on their way here and shrunk into the bed. Seemingly knowing what he was thinking, she turned her head to Cassie before asking her something in an inquisitive voice.
"Cassie, what is marriage to you?"
Sunny tensed up, nervous about her answer, and Cassie gave Nephis a confused face.
"I suppose it's dedicating your life to another... or perhaps being able to give your life for another."
Nephis turned to him with an I told you so look before he shot up from the bed with a groan.
"Well that's enough of that. Come on, guys, let's go. I have a surprise."
Nephis took her time and begrudgingly got up from the first bed she'd had in months. Moments later, they set off to their destination.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nephis was taken aback by the view. It was the Dark Sea, but the way the artificial sun hit it made it look like a galaxy—the miniature creatures acting as stars and the large ones like constellations.
"Cassie, don't bother checking out the runes on what I'm about to give you, just put it on when I say to."
Cassie, for the second time today, gave a confused look but agreed. Sunny grabbed Nephis's hand and dragged her next to him, facing directly in front of Cassie while their backs were to the sea.
"Ok, now!"
Seconds later, the memory summoned right onto Cassie's face, and seconds later—
The not-so-blind girl leaped into their arms.