Nox's eyes snapped open. He stared at the navy blue embroidery of the bed canopy, wondering where he was for a good, silent minute. Then, he felt a familiar weight resting over his chest. He glanced down to find Meimei curled up into a tight ball.
That was when everything came rushing back: arriving at the Arur Estate, fighting the Aeshma, facing his father, having that incredibly bizarre conversation about his family's supernatural origins, Veil taking over, and his entire life being forcefully rescheduled.
He glanced at the alarm clock on the bedside table: 2:06 AM.
He rasped, his throat bone-dry. Meimei stretched and rolled off his chest to the side, still fast asleep and adorable. Nox stood up, reaching for the empty glass on the nightstand. He held it beneath the tap of the bedside water dispenser and spoke a single command: "Water."
Lukewarm water filled the glass steadily. Nox drank it down in long gulps, staring blankly at the plush navy blue duvet.
"..."
------------------------------
Nox's POV
"..."
I glanced at the alarm clock on the bedside table; it was 2:06 AM. Normally, I would have been freaking out right now. However, I was just too tired. A deep, heavy weariness I couldn't quite comprehend was flooding through me. I wasn't even entirely sure why I was this exhausted... Maybe it was the simple fact that I was awake at this ungodly hour, or the looming realization that I was about to begin hellish training with that insufferable woman.
"Tch!"
I clicked my tongue in annoyance. Right at that exact moment, a sudden wave of dizziness hit me. Nausea followed hard on its heels, accompanied by a terrible, twisting ache in my stomach. It started light at first, but gradually intensified until it felt like gastric acid was literally melting my internal organs.
"Ugh!" I muffled a groan, sweat instantly beading at my temples. I curled into myself, trying to endure the agonizing hunger pangs for what felt like hours.
Master!
Meimei shot awake at some point and bounded over to me. But just as she reached my side, I lifted my head, and she froze entirely. Her pupils contracted into razor-thin slits, her fur puffed out, and a low, defensive snarl escaped her throat.
Before I could even process what was happening or why she was looking at me like that, dark spots began dancing across my vision. I knew this feeling all too well—the hunger. I hated it. I needed to get out of this room, out of this place, now. As if sensing my mounting agitation, the shadows along the floor began to twist and dance wildly around me.
Before my brain or Meimei could react, I instinctively morphed the shadows into a pair of heavy, clawed gauntlets and launched myself straight toward the nearest window.
Thunk!
I hit the glass hard and slid straight down onto the carpeted floor. Web-like cracks spiderwebbed across the window pane. Instantly, ancient runes began pulsing to life across the walls and glass, looking exactly as they had when the Aeshma appeared. I couldn't care less about the security system, though—I was pretty sure I had just broken my nose, and the sharp spike of physical pain was finally enough to snap me back to my senses.
Meimei leapt off the bed and landed squarely on my back. For a tiny critter, she suddenly felt like a ton of heavy bricks, pinning me down.
Master! You can't do that! What if you alert someone?!
Meimei's squeaky voice nagged directly in my mind.
"... I'm hungry," I wheezed.
She paused, her weight shifting. ... I know. But breaking a window will call the guards straight here. You'll be caught and brought right back before you even make it out of this place.
Suddenly, the residual adrenaline left me, leaving only a profound exhaustion. It was then that I think I finally understood why I felt so weary. I wasn't sure if my theory was right, but I knew one thing for certain: I was tired.
At my submission, the shadow gauntlets dissolved back into the floor. I rolled over onto my back, causing Meimei to leap off me and settle down right near my face.
"... Meimei, I know you're a mystical, mysterious and cosmic cat... But I just want to talk."
Meimei's ears perked up instantly. She sat ramrod straight. I'm listening, Master.
I chewed over the words in my mind, but the more I actually thought about vocalizing my emotions, the more I realized I would rather jump headfirst into the Ramona Triangle and just perish. At least then my brain would stop spinning. After a long silence, I simply sighed and rolled onto my side, clutching my stomach to ease the hunger.
Seeing that I wasn't going to talk anymore, Meimei gently placed a small paw on my shoulder. Immediately, a wave of soothing warmth spread throughout my entire body, dulling the sharp hunger pangs and driving away the nausea.
"... What are you doing? I remember you did this when it first happened back at the penthouse, too..."
Meimei licked her free paw casually and replied, I'm transferring Xenon into you, Master. Though Xenon is not nearly as potent as Malevolent Energy or Divine Power, it's still a form of raw energy your body can absorb. Though, if you want to fully relieve yourself of this hunger, you're going to need way more than this tiny bit.
I hummed in acknowledgment, the relief washing over me. "... How do we get out of here now, then? I still need to eat, even if the pain is gone for now."
I felt her light paw leave my clothes as she stepped back. I can get us out. We'll just pass through the window.
"..."
I couldn't believe my ears. I turned over, my eyes meeting her intelligent, sapphire-blue ones. "... I don't want anything crazy happening. Can we even make it back before 3:00 AM?"
My kitty stretched her limbs out. Then, right before my eyes, her form expanded and morphed until she was the size of a fully grown tiger. A low, vibrating chuff escaped her chest. We'll have plenty of time. Time to eat sausages, even.
For some reason, a cold sweat broke out across my back. "... Ha. Fuck it. Let's go and see what we can find, then."
I stood up, dusted off my silk pajamas, and swung myself up onto her massive back. I gripped her thick fur for dear life, lowering my body entirely flat against her spine. I honestly felt like a certain eucalyptus-eating animal.
Meimei's tail wagged happily, and she crouched low to the ground. Her black, razor-sharp claws dug deep into the expensive carpet. Before I could voice a single regret, she bolted straight through the solid bedroom wall. The wall rippled like water as she passed through it, then she systematically placed one massive paw after another onto a series of translucent, rippling platforms manifested in mid-air. None of that magical display concerned me as much as holding on for dear life did, though.
'I thought you said the WINDOW!!'. I screamed internally.
She was literally running through mid-air, moving like a streak of black lightning as she skillfully evaded the estate's security cameras and patrolling personnel. And once again, I could do nothing but hold on for dear life.
------------------------------
Meanwhile, located far in the East Wing of the estate were the grand kitchen and the staff quarters. Aside from the night staff occasionally executing their silent patrols, the wing was completely still.
In the center of the kitchen, Nevia was busy brewing a fresh pot of coffee. Her hair was tied back in a neat ponytail, and she wore a comfortable, coffee-brown tracksuit. Her eyes were slightly bloodshot and her face looked paler than usual, but her characteristic sharpness remained entirely intact.
Seated on a high stool at the marble counter was her brother, Nero. His short hair was completely tossed, looking like a disheveled bird's nest. His eyes were red, making him look somehow even more unapproachable than usual.
Nevia's tail swayed gently as she reached for the loaf of bread and butter to make toast.
"Why not make eggy bread instead? It'll taste better," Nero muttered.
Nevia paused, then grabbed a few more ingredients from the fridge. "... How are you faring nowadays? Do the wounds still ache?"
Nero yawned heavily. "I'm good. It's not the cold months yet. Out of the twelve months of the year, it's only during Arcanis, Mournwell, and Eternalis that the old injuries start to flare up. For now, in these warmer seasons, I'm perfectly fine, little sister."
Nevia dipped the sliced bread into the whisked batter, coating it thoroughly before placing it gently into a hot pan with melting butter. She sprinkled a fine mix of cinnamon and sugar over the top, then flipped it. A rich, sweet aroma immediately wafted through the kitchen air.
She slid the golden-brown slices onto two plates, dishing the food out before turning back to him. "Want me to make some more?".
Nero yawned once more, but nodded his head in appreciation. Silently, she turned back to the stove and got right back to work.