Feeling an intense power emanating from beyond. Something that would affect her when she crossed.
Almost instantly, Selina tugged the mural-like vines to pull her back—her body turned to mud, to flesh, and finally back crumbled back into the environment!
Selina woke up right onto the meadow she designed with her will, alone with a willow tree.
Pant... Pant... Pant...
Her breath hitched and she recovered from the mental toll of her discovery. She listed, "There's a land... full of flesh... b-beyond it is a another area, engulfed with red mist.
"What is out there? Why do I hear a beating heart? This place... it's indeed alive."
Due to the fact that she had known this for awhile. The strain didn't bled her that much.
"This dreamworld relates with my pathway. Perhaps as I advance, I might be able to venture more into the horizon." Selina slowly reigned in her thoughts before exhaling a relief.
"For now. It didn't seem like I have not been corrupted. Thankfully. Well, except my red hair." Then, she thought of something.
"This dreamworld also responds to my subconsciousness. At one point, I was able to create a frozen replica of a dream I had. The one Mr. Morroy is trying to use to kill me."
Selina casted her gaze onto her palms. "It's already late, I was planning on trying out if the bestowment ritual would be easier to open this time, now that I'm a Sequence 8.
"I guess I can set it aside for tomorrow..."
She closed her eyes, still coping with the revelation she saw continents away from her spot, the mural-like vine.
Suddenly, four-five story building rose from the tall grasses. Streets appeared out of the stone beneath and lamp-lights burned a plume in its case.
The road of the Daffodil Street was formed.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Selina began to walk in the empty street. Using it to cope with her stress. Then, coming from her subconscious mind, a statue of crowds was sculpted from the soil.
They still do not retain any souls or sentience. They're merely a display at this point.
She stopped, her gaze found her first rented house in 16 Daffodil Street. Selina peeked into the blinds of its oriel window, to confirm if even the inside was replicated.
"How wonderful." Selina saw the tea-table and the four sofas in the living room, just like how she arranged them.
She continued reminiscing. Seeing Odelle and the Heath family inside 17 Daffodil Street. They looked like a complete family.
Selina savored the scene before turning around and leaving. She intends to find Zouteland Street and look for Blackthorn Security Company.
Rozanne was there, reading a blurred newspaper. Leonard was standing next to a window, holding a paper while his mouth open, as if he was about to rhapsodize.
Dunn Smith was at his office, behind a typewriter. Kenley and Royale are at the entertainment room, whilst Seeka seems to be in guarding duty and Frye in patrol of the Raphael Cemetery.
Reaching the basement, she stopped. Selina gazed at the secret door, urging herself to know even if they're not real.
Upon opening it, she saw Klein listening to Old Neil.
Old Neil was there. He was smiling. He was holding a book and a wand, dressed like a wizard.
"Do not cause any trouble for this young girl"
His note resurfaced in Selina's mind. Without saying anything, she took a chair, sat right next to Klein and leaned her head to his shoulder.
"Who would've known you'll leave us so soon?"
...
For a prolonged period of time. Selina stayed at the makeshift Blackthorn Security Company before leaving.
She noticed that the area wasn't a complete map of Tingen City. Which is logical since only half of it had Selina been explored.
Some are hazy and some are distorted. Just like how she perceives them.
At some point, she reached the East Borough. Selina took the chance to check Lawson's Folk Herb Store at 18 Vlad Street.
The wide bay window allowed her to gaze into the assorted materials and medicines either in glass bottle, cylinders or hanged dry on the ceiling.
"Those are grayben roots, oh and evergreen nettle!" Selina listed the items there until she saw Darkwill, slumping his head while waiting for customers.
He was a statue.
Selina smiled and made a sunhat, her mocha shaded sunhat out of her mud-hand and wore it. She also dressed herself with a drape on her shoulders.
Acting like it was her first time. She entered store.
"Good afternoon Mr. Darkwill!"
But no response. Selina smiled, but her eyes quickly grew dimmer. She reformed herself back to her earlier dress and made the sunhat melt into mud before integrating with the floor.
Afterwards, she exited quietly. Still taking the chance to stroll.
In this world where everything seemed to be frozen in time. Selina saw vendors with hazy face, their anatomies are rather bizarre while some are explicitly beckoning the pedestrians.
Finally she reached an intersection.
It felt familiar to her, incredibly intimate. Then at some point, Selina recalled, "This was when I felt I bumped into someone... Sigh, just how stressed I was back then?"
She resumed her steps.
And while taking in the structures of the street, she saw a peculiar man from a distance, amidst a statue of crowds.
He had a dark blonde hair, and a high nose. His lips were tightly pursed, and he looked solemn and disturbed.
His facial features were like a classic sculpture without any wrinkles. Wearing a clergyman's robe, reflecting a high-ranking status.
No, that status seemed to be of the Church of the Evernight's Archbishop.
Ince Zangwill!
All colors on Selina's face were drained as the clergyman's visage reflects in her eyes. At an instant, she recalled Dunn's cautionary words regarding this criminal:
"If you discover him, do not alert or disturb him. Return to report it immediately or the chance of you dying in the line of duty is a thousand percent."
Selina processed her thoughts, "The dreamworld only seem to store and archives my subconsciousness perceives... I didn't perceived him consciously, neither is anyone else! That could associate with the coincidences that are happening! And that man Ince Zangwill with that terrifying ability...
"Is here in Tingen!"
At that instant, Selina's mind whirred and she felt her spirituality was at a critical point!
She woke herself up, and alongside her disappearance, the whole replicated area collapsed and vanished.
...
Friday morning. The next day.
Melissa remarked at the dinner table due to Selina rushing to take a shower, "Mhm, Sis Selina had a cat!"
"A cat?" echoed Klein and Benson as they exchanged looks.
For the former who had already dressed to leave and had not gotten any properly sleep due to the lack of response from Ms. Justice and Hanged Man, he felt a sort mixed emotions.
Selina never mentioned she had a cat to me... Klein creased his eyebrows. He completely abandoned taking another bite of the bacon and egg.
"His name Falacy. Though I don't know why Sis did not introduced him when she was eating." Melissa shoved another portion of her caramelized bread in her mouth.
Benson remarked while reminiscing, "That's quite a surprise. I would like to meet this cat. I can't remember the last time I ever saw one... Hmm, ah yes it was when the factory owner I went to in the past, visited us onsite, caressing an obese cat."
"Selina does seem a bit troubled..." Klein's thoughts were tuned to one specific tidbit. "When you visited her, did she displayed anything out of place?"
He was speaking to Melissa.
Melissa paused and she lowered the fork in her hand. Upon recalling, she answered, "She was talking to Falacy. I thought maybe she's a whisker-caller."
Talking to her cat... That's normal. She's now a Sequence 8 Beast Tamer... Klein reasoned before posing another question, "Did you managed to touch this cat?"
"Why does this seem like you're interrogating me?" Melissa grumpily bit down a chunk of bread as she leered at Klein.
Klein chuckled dryly, "I mean... it's late right? What if you're seeing things?"
"Sis Selina said Falacy will stay with us from now on, and yes I petted it. Although she forgot about introducing him first thing this morning..." Melissa slowed down for a moment before dismissing it.
Falacy... Staying? Again, two brothers went on to exchange looks for the second time.
"Where is he then?" Benson asked, controlling his shock.
Melissa casually answered her brother's befuddled expression and said, "He's around here. I can call him if that eases both of you."
"Yes! Yes please do." Klein didn't minced his words.
"Seriously..." Melissa calmed herself as she gulped, clearing a way for her mouth to open. "Falacy~? Come here!"
Meow~
A shadow of a small animal appeared by the oriel window. It had a full fluffy black fur, rounded healthy proportion and an adorable little head with large green eyes.
It wagged its tail gently, before leaving the window's porch.
A cat! A cat responded to their sister's call!
"There you are~" Melissa bent her back and turned to the side of the chair, welcoming the black feline in her arms.
"Are you hungry?"
Meow~
"Here, have some bacon." Melissa happily break off a small piece from her plant and fed it to the cat.
While watching it munched. Klein was slightly at a lose for words, "T-That looks like a Persian cat..."
Persian cats are expensive!
"Fascinating... can I hold it too?" Benson can't help but lean toward his sister, toward the cat.
However, Melissa blocked her brother's hand with her back, clinging onto it as she reasoned, "Finish eating first. Cats like this often lose some hairs you know? What if some got into your plate?"
B-But aren't you holding it too? A corner of Klein's lips twitched hearing her sister's unprecedented logic. But they couldn't retort.
Soon enough, nearing the end of their breakfast. Selina was finally done. She was dressed in a three-piece suit in accordance to the Nighthawk's few dress codes.
"Klein. I'm sorry but we have to..." Her voice paused as she saw her cat Falacy being surrounded by the Moretti family. It rested on Melissa's lap, whilst Klein and Benson nag on its feet and caress it.
She blinked twice before processing, Right, I told Melissa, Falacy might stay... They're quite optimistic with this new addition...
Klein slowly got up, around his eyes were slightly dark but his expression was beaming.
"What is it?" he asked with a smile.
As much as Selina hates it, to burst his mood, she said, "We have to get to work now. I can talk with you along the way."
Then, she glanced at Benson and Melissa behind Klein. She added in a whisper, "At least... not near them."
Klein fell silent and he quickly understood what she meant. Without wasting time, he called onto his siblings to say, "Well, we need to get going. I remembered some things at the company was left unattended. Take care on your way Melissa, Benson."
"...Okay. Take care too!" Melissa bade farewell. Benson later did.
Klein waved his hand next to Selina and then they left the hall and closed the door.
...
"Extra! Extra! Rear Admiral Hurricane Qilangos killed in Backlund!
"Extra! Extra! Rear Admiral Hurricane Qilangos killed in Backlund!"
...
Klein cocked his ear to hear the few paperboys loitering around a few stations. His mind got curious.
Rear Admiral Hurricane Qilangos killed in Backlund... Mr. Azik did it? While falling into a deep thought, he lampooned himself, As the boss behind the scenes, I actually had to find out the outcome from the beckoning of the newsboys...
He silently sorted his mind before changing to the current matter. "So what's been troubling you?"
Suddenly, Selina halted. Klein was closely behind her and he abruptly stopped.
He saw her turned and looked him in the eyes and said,
"Ince Zangwill is here."