//------------------------------// // Arc XII Episode VII: Daydream Pain // Story: Family Begins With You // by Jmaster49 //------------------------------// Sugarcoat stepped in front of them all--the trio of girls began to cower in fear as a result. “Listen, Sour. They just don’t comprehend what’s going on with you in your head. They’re not trying to hurt you intentionally.” “W-we’re sorry we thought you were weird!” Upper Crust shouted, “None of us understand you!” Suri spoke up next, “W-we just…have a hard time, uh…” “You send mixed messages, okay?” Fleur came out with it, “We don’t know how to approach you and it’s getting to our nerves. But…we don’t hate you personally.” “That’s right,” Sugarcoat added, “It’s just a small misunderstanding. I’m sure that--” But Sour refused to comply--shouting at them like they were animals. “No! I don’t wanna hear it! Between them and my dumbass aunt, I’m sick and tired of dealing with this crap. You’re only sorry now because you know that you’re about to get your asses kicked!” Her eyes started to glow a shade of pink as a devious smile appeared on her face. “But that’s okay…as soon as she arrives here to start her usual librarian duties, it’s on!” The girls tried to make a run for it…only to be stopped by a magical force field that prevented them from accessing the stairs. BLAM! “Merde!” Fluer cried out after slamming into the invisible wall, “We can go anywhere! We’re stuck here!” “...Sour…don’t make me hurt you, please,” Sugarcoat tried to reason with her, her voice becoming softer, “You’re my friend and I don’t wanna see you upset…” “Oh please!” Sour shouted back, “You’re always over there and off to the side with your ‘cool girl’ shtick like you’re out to impress someone. It’s amazing how little you care about anything!” “I didn’t ask to be this way,” Sugarcoat raised her voice as much as possible, though it came off as a slightly disgruntled statement rather than a yell, “We all have our own problems. But we can only solve them if we’re open and honest with each other.” Unfortunately for her, Sour was all-too quick to point out her friend’s inconsistent logic. “Oh! Like how you refused to tell Aria about what she’s going through?!” But as she went on, her voice changed from sounding human to something more…demonic as it switched perspectives. “What was the point of you inviting her over if you weren’t going to work towards solving the problem?!” Sugarcoat bit her lip as she tried to think up an answer. “I…” But then, she noted just how different her friend started to sound and questioned it. “...Hold on. How did you know about that? You’re not omnipotent…unless…you can read minds?” An explanation would have to come later. Sour Sweet had suddenly taken control of her own body again with her voice now in possession. “Ugh! Get out of the way, Sugarcoat! I don’t want to hurt you! It’s those three that need to be taught a lesson.” “No,” Sugarcoat replied firmly as she stood in front of the quivering girls, “I won’t let you hurt them. They haven’t done anything to you. All you need to do is talk it out and then they’ll understand. I promise.” “...Are you sure?” Sour asked, lowering her voice to that of a whisper. “I’m sure,” Sugar replied with a relieved sigh, “You don’t have to listen to that power-hungry not-so-wooly mammoth. You’re your own person.” In a bid to release her friend from mind control, she reached out her open hand, hoping she’d take it. “Come on. I’ll set you free from this. You have nothing to be afraid of.” “I…you’re right…” Sour replied as she walked towards her. Sadly, the thoughts swimming around in her head betrayed the words she had spoken. “....Or is she? Who’s to say they won’t just go back to doing what they’ve already done once this is over?” “You can’t go back now. The damage has already been done. They fear you. Make them understand how you’ve felt all these years. And then, do the same to your aunt.” “...” Eventually, Sour Sweet had gotten close enough to Sugarcoat to reach for her hand. Then…she gently grasped it with her own. “There…how do you feel?” Sugarcoat asked. “I feel…” Sour tilted her head down… And a red aura surrounded her body. “I feel…alive.” CRASH! Before Sugarcoat could react, she was flung back-first into the lockers to Sour’s right, leaving a massive, body-shaped dent from the impact. “AAAAHHH!” Fleur, Upper Crust, and Suri screamed in horror at what they saw, and started to babble a series of overlapping apologies. “W-we’re sorry!” “We won't do it again!” “Don’t hurt me, please!”