The future is a bleak place.
Starlight staggered her way to the couch again. This was the third time they'd entered Orga's future mind. Even though the experience within the spell felt more organic each time, leaving the spell had not gotten any easier.
Star covered her eyes as she recuperated. It's the daylight, she told herself. I'm blocking the light.
She felt a wave of nausea crash into the deep of her belly like a bowling ball.
It's.

The.

Daylight, she insisted, but the dragon inside her only scoffed at her denial. Get over yourself and talk to him, the dragon scoffed. Now.
Shut up, Vritra. He hates us, remember?
The dragon fluttered impatiently inside. Starlight sighed deeply.
"We should explore someone else next," a deep velvet voice said. Involuntarily, the phrase brought Star's senses to full attention, seeking out the speaker like starving creatures being offered a meal. At the center of those creatures was Vritra, now tensing and pulling within her demanding more of that voice.

He's not talking to us, moron.

Starlight peeked from between her fingers to prove it to her. Nox stood leaning on a wall barely 10 feet away. His piercing blue eyes neutrally met Freed's from across the room. Starlight blinked to bring her powers forward and hues of green and yellow suddenly radiated from Freed. The hues hovered around him, in tune with Freed's emotions and reactions. Her eyes jumped back to Nox. Contrary to everyone else, there was no constant mist of colors around him. If she concentrated very hard - something she'd stopped pushing herself to do anymore- she could sometimes make out a sheer silvery tint around him, but only during those moments that he lost focus.

"I agree," Freed replied. "It's time to see things from a different perspective. We could always revisit Orga's view if we need."
Nox nodded. The movement caused a silky lock to come loose from behind his ear. Star had the urge to go tuck it back into place. Her fingertips tingled imagining the softness of his hair. Perhaps her fingers would trace down his ear for a second as she did.

Say something. Make him talk to us.

Starlight snapped back to reality. She briefly wondered what his reaction would be if she did try. Not too long after she arrived at the likely conclusion that he wouldn't let her get close enough to do it in the first place.

No, that would just make it worse, Starlight replied.

Do it. Talk to him.

No.

Do it, Starlight!

Ugh, fine, she finally gave in.

"I volunteer."

"Absolutely not," Nox stated. There was no room for argument in his tone.

I told you so. The victory was not particularly sweet, but beggars can't be choosers.

"Why not?" Starlight challenged without much ardor. The snappy response and emotional sucker punches she expected did not come. She peeked at him again just in time to catch him tuck the long lock back into place. Her eyes followed his long fingers as they smoothly traveled from his ear to his pocket. If it wasn't for the harsh look in his eye while he pointedly ignored her, she would've thought the movement to be almost sheepish.

Vritra fluttered triumphantly. See?

See what? He's still not talking to us.

For now. He wants to. I can feel it. Starlight sighed and rolled her eyes.

"I suppose it would provide fresh information. No one seems to know what happens to you, after all," Cana interjected. Nox's eyes flickered to Cana, but his usual cool intensity wavered- a flicker of silver winked at Starlight. Freed broke the awkward silence warily. "Perhaps we could try it with someone more experienced first. Cana, care to volunteer?"

Cana shrugged and slumped back against the wall. "Fine, by me."

Starlight barely paid attention to the conversation. From under hooded eyes she watched the enigma that was Nox leave the room without another word. Before you even get any ideas, I am not following him, she warned. Vritra huffed impatiently. Coward.

It seemed Freed had the same idea as Vritra, though. He waited only a few seconds before casually following Nox out of the room. Against her better judgement, Starlight perked her ear up in hopes of catching the conversation taking place two rooms over.

"What happens to Starlight?" Freed coolly demanded.

"Why do you assume I know?" Nox responded in measured voice. Starlight wished she was in the room for what she assumed was the staring contest that ensued. Silence reigned for a while before Nox finally gave in.

"For the record, I don't exactly know what does happen to her," Nox started. Starlight felt the shift in his mood. The marble-like quality of his speech softened... he sounded almost tired. Vritra responded to the change by snuggling into Starlight for comfort. "I have no proof and I can not sense it in her now when I talk to her, nor when I see her around you and everyone else. The Starlight I've met is- is kind and caring and... hot-tempered," he chuckled sadly, "but reasonably so. And yet, what I know can't be ignored. And based on what I know... I can't help but believe that she..."

She could almost have felt that he didn't hate her. In fact, she tried not to think of how he sounded like he actually thought of her well. Starlight waited with her breath stuck in her throat for his next words. This was it. She would finally get the answer she'd been waiting for. What, Nox? What did I do to you?

Freed chimed in, like he heard her question. "What do you believe, Nox?"

Nox's voice was raw with restrain, confusion, regret, and... pain. "I believe she-"

"Don't," Minerva interrupted. "There is no point in talking about it now."

NO! Vritra exclaimed angrily at being denied her response. Starlight's own pulse hammered uncontrollably as she gathered her strength to stand and walk to the room where they were.

"We should just do the spell on her and get it over with. Speculating is just a waste of time when the answers are available to us," Minerva continued. Although Starlight agreed with her, she still pushed her legs to carry her forward.

"They're not ready," Nox replied with his concrete voice.

"They will have to be."

"I won't do it."

"I have to agree with Minerva on this," Freed interjected. "If something important is in Starlight's head then we should not waste time. We have families to get back to."

"I want to do it," Starlight said as she finally reached the room. Nox's eyes shot to her like daggers. She looked past the throbbing, angry silver mist he exuded at her to meet his eyes. The intensity almost made Star take the words back. "I want to know," she said.

Silver chaos swirled around him. Her head grew dizzy again and she leaned on the door frame for support. He blinked and the silver disappeared; she could breathe again. He focused his eyes on her, studying every inch of her face. She subconsciously looked away. She could feel her face getting red from the attention.

"Please, Freed, I have to know," she said, mostly to distract herself from Nox's eyes. Freed only shrugged.

"We can't do the spell without Nox."

She mustered the courage to look back at Nox, who was still searching for something in her. She wasn't sure what he found, but his eyes briefly met Minerva and Freed before landing on the window. "Not everyone. Certainly not her parents... nor mine."

She breathed in relief. He shoved his hands in his pockets and shook his head. "Just us," he said to the floor. "Just us, Uncle Vlad and Warren. Tomorrow- after everyone's rested."

"What about Lax-"

"Just us," Nox repeated. "If I'm wrong, we can try it with everyone. For now..."

"Just us," Starlight agreed. Nox looked up from the floor at her as if surprised that she was there. He nodded tightly and left.

"I don't know... maybe we should get the others. I-I can go wake them-"

"Stop. Focus," Minerva commanded. Warren whined in fear but stepped back into the room. Starlight felt the room grow heavy around her. He's close. Seconds later Nox stepped into the room. Surprisingly, he headed straight to Starlight. Her back straightened the closer he got, until he was so close that she tilted her head just to see his face. He talked to her in a low voice- too low for the others to pick up, and she realized he was counting on her dragon slayer ears to pick it up.

"Concentrate. It will be hard, with all of us crammed in your head, but you must be clear on where you're going. Do not let your mind wander. There might be things- painful things, things you won't want to know. Do not let your mind wander. Do not forget you are here, you are now."

His eyes were nothing that he'd shown her before. Regret and pain became dark grey orbs. Warmth enveloped her hand. She tried not to gasp when she realized it was his hand. He offered the other one to Minerva. "Ready?" he asked the group.

Starlight swallowed, stuck between wanting to extend the moment and wanting to know.

Fire.

That awful smell. The smell of burnt... flesh.

The screams.

They are close. So close. Are they mine?

No. Not mine.

From the fire, a thick black serpent emerges. The serpent smiles. "Mistress" it says without opening its mouth. "We did it. It's ours."

Why is it smiling at me? What did we do?

It's gone. I see Juvia. She looks older. There's some light blue in her dark mane. She's pleading at me.

"Stop this, please! It's not too late to just stop," Juvia begs.

I stop. My hand tightens around something hard. Something cold... what... what I am doing?

NO!

Please stop! No! Why can't I stop? Please!

Aunt Juvia... I killed her. Please look away. Stop! I don't want to see anymore! Please... please stop!

I killed Juvia.

Uncle Rogue is screaming. He's in front of me, screaming, and he hates me. Pure hate and pain are in his eyes. I'm sorry...

I wish you could hear me, Uncle Rogue. I'm so sorry... I'm sorry...

"Rex?" I ask. A man next to me knocks him down. I kick him. I feel my heel dig into his body, crack his bones. I step on Rogue until there's no more to step on.

I'm a monster.

Get me out of here. I don't want to know more. Nox! Nox, please let me out.

A lab.

There are tubes and chains. The acidic smell of chemicals burns my nostrils. I walk down a long hallway. There are cells. Cells with people. Cells with tortured prisoners. The end of the hallway has a large room. It's the only one closed off. I pull a chain from between my breasts. At the end of the chain hangs an elaborate key.

The room opens. It's pitch black.

"Go away," a voice calls from within. It's weak. It's familiar. It's...

"Do you realize how pathetic you are? Just give them up. I'm getting bored, Yukino. I will find them. It is up to you whether they will suffer a lot or immensely."

How could I do this? Her hair is dull and patchy. She's thin. Too thin. Her skin is covered in old and new bruises and wounds. Thick scars cover her from head to toe. Why... mom, what have I done to you?

"Just kill me and get it over with," mom says. Mom, I'm sorry...

"That would be just too easy... bring him out."

Men pull a man from the neighboring cell. Daddy? Daddy!

"Tell me where."

Mom is crying. She tries to look away but I force her to watch. They're cutting him. Thin slices of his skin fall to the floor. Mom is crying, daddy is screaming.

I'm a monster.

I'm a monster.

I'm a monster.

I'm a monster.

I'm a monster.

I'm a monster.

I'M A MONSTER.

I'M A MONSTER.

I'M A MONSTER.

I'M A MONSTER. I'M A MONSTER. I'M A MONSTER.

I'm a monster.