Chapter 7 Sisters

Even after Westar left, I was still pretty shaken. What I had said to him was one hundred percent true; I do not want to go back to Labyrinth. At least, I don't think that I do. The problem is I still have nowhere to go.

After Lucky left with his owner to go back to his house, this fact became all the more apparent to me. Where could I go? Where could I sleep for the night? The sun was already starting to set, which meant that I probably needed to solve the mystery sooner or later.

Should I sleep on a park bench? I didn't want to sleep on a park bench; it looked way too uncomfortable. Besides, there was no guarantee that it wouldn't rain again. I did not want to sleep in the rain, as I knew that the only things that I had to wake up to if I did that were a damp, puddly mess and a possible cold.

No I did not want to sleep on a bench. Unfortunately, it seemed that I did not have much of a choice.

So, I selected a bench in a relatively nice area of the park. I realized that it was getting cold and brisk outside. In fact, the temperature seemed to be dropping at a rate of one degree every two minutes. I did not want to sleep out in the cold. I have never been able to sleep in the cold. Labyrinth has always been at a constant temperature. A temperature that was not cold.

But, just like with me becoming a Precure, I also did not have much of a choice.

The sun was almost completely absent from the sky now, save for a little bright bump in the west. I watched as the sun slowly sank into tomorrow. Part of me wishes I could be the sun. The sun always follows a set path, and never takes any deviations from it. That's what I want my life to be like. That is what my life had been like.

Anyway, once twilight started to claim the sky, I felt myself grow tired. I let out a yawn and laid down on my bench/bed. I was correct, it was uncomfortable. In fact, it was more than uncomfortable; it was painful. It was painful in the sense that this was now my reality. But nevertheless, I decided that I wanted to endure it. Because this reality is still one hundred times more pleasant than a reality where I am dead.

Anyway, I curled up into a little ball on the bench, trying to preserve as much of my body heat as I could in the declining temperature. I was just about to doze off when I heard a voice call my name.

"Setsuna!"

It was Love. For the first time ever, I actually felt happy to see her. As she approached, I sat up and smiled at her.

"Hey," I said.

"Hi!" she responded gleefully. "What have you been up to."

"Oh...I was just...sleeping."

Love looks completely taken aback.

"On a bench?" she asks me.

"Well, yeah," I said. I laugh, but not because it is funny. I laugh because it is pathetic. Love now looks at me empathetically.

"I'm sorry," she said. I sigh.

"It's alright. It's not your fault."

Love takes a seat on the bench. For a minute, neither of us say a word.

"Hey," Love finally says. "Do you want to come stay at my house for the night?"

I look at Love in surprise.

"You...you want me to stay at your house?"

"Of course!" Love says with a smile. "You're my friend. I don't want my friend to freeze out on a park bench."

"But...but..." I stutter. "Wouldn't it be too much trouble for you and your family?"

"Not at all!" said Love. "I've already talked to my parents. They are completely fine with it."

I consider it, but in truth there is not much to consider. Then I let out a grateful smile in Love's direction.

"I would love to stay at your house, Love."

Love squeals in delight and wraps me in an embrace.

"Awesome! The two of us can share a room! It will be like we are sisters!"

"Sisters..." I echo her. In all honesty, I really like the sound of that.