She sits on her bed, knees hugged close to her chest. Her black hair shields the sides of her face from the rest of the room. Her textbook was open in front of her, which she stares at absent mindedly. The words swim around in front of her green eyes, her mind unfocused.107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2I8t8t3ocj
copyright protection103ＰＥＮＡＮＡL8mO4WisHZ
It was dark. The curtains were drawn over her window, letting in small slivers of dwindling light. Her candle was blown out, now having been lit in a long while. She liked the dark. She didn't like the whispers.107Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa0Kj6r0qMV
copyright protection103ＰＥＮＡＮＡkZhSYxzvxd
She closes her eyes. They were there now, a thousand voices surrounding her. She couldn't make out what was being said, and she didn't care to hear. Sometimes she could make out a few words, but didn't understand. She knew they weren't there for comfort. They were just there, ever-present in the dark.copyright protection103ＰＥＮＡＮＡueML97p3Gd
She was the only one that heard them.copyright protection103ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8696Il2Ru7
Sometimes she'd try and start a conversation with the dark, conversations of a crazy person that lead nowhere. If she waited, they'd leave on their own. Now they were just background noise. At least they were better than the alternative: oppressive silence.copyright protection103ＰＥＮＡＮＡuxv32k5blL
Finally, she uncurls herself and turns the page of her textbook. The whispers stir uncertainly, then slowly fade away in disappointment. She didn't need to hear their voices to tell that they were leaving, however. She could sense them, their presences in the room, like ghosts. She couldn't tell how many there were, as the number kept changing from day to day. Sometimes there would be one or two, other times it was in the fifties or sixties. But they were all the same, surrounding her and laughing, trying to converse at the same time.copyright protection103ＰＥＮＡＮＡV35YLiaOjD
Or maybe they weren't laughing at all. But why wouldn't they laugh at her, like everyone else did?copyright protection103ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9kJyqGwLLm
It sits and stares at the other distant Fragments with a scowl. They were talking again, about that girl.copyright protection103ＰＥＮＡＮＡYo33jG2EnV
She's no fun, Says one.copyright protection103ＰＥＮＡＮＡrBgznbVIqj
She doesn't speak anyways, Another sighs.copyright protection103ＰＥＮＡＮＡmAmf52rs9J
It knew who they were talking about. The dark girl, as they called her. It never really saw her, only heard about her, as was most of it's life. Just stories. Only stories. And a lot of exclusion.copyright protection103ＰＥＮＡＮＡnT9deiLssG
It stands with a sigh and begins wandering the dark, staring down at its hands. They were outlined in a light grey, otherwise they blend in perfectly with the darkness around it. All of it did, just a shifting black figure.copyright protection103ＰＥＮＡＮＡkDEnhc9wXV
It thought of the land below, land it couldn't see. It wanted to see it. It already saw the sky, the stars. But 'land' was only a story. And 'people'. What was a wizard like? A pirate? Can they see the sky, too?copyright protection103ＰＥＮＡＮＡn6Fa4BGiH9
Child, Comes a soft voice, and it turns around. Its red eyes meet white ones.copyright protection103ＰＥＮＡＮＡWkL5ScGaRu
Koro, It replies simply.copyright protection103ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4VRDy0xxwQ
You skirt the edges of the Realm again.copyright protection103ＰＥＮＡＮＡtnVyKtbRFo
It shakes its head. There's nothing to do.copyright protection103ＰＥＮＡＮＡHhXLzZ4LEU
Korodon smiles. I have spoiled you with stories, haven't I? It shrugs. Their relationship was more informal than that of the other Fragments.copyright protection103ＰＥＮＡＮＡNiMKKiTqNy
You know, there is a wizard you could meet. Korodon points out simply.copyright protection103ＰＥＮＡＮＡHnE7TThp4I
But I don't know how to find her. The dark girl. The others don't care to tell me how I can see her. And it really wanted to see her.copyright protection103ＰＥＮＡＮＡImzwCARfea
You have wandered enough to know, Korodon replies, turning away. All you need to do is look. With that, the Spirit disappears.copyright protection103ＰＥＮＡＮＡdPMYd296qG
It scowls. Leave it to Korodon to hand out vague information such as this. But, in a way, the Spirit was right. This was it's home; It should know how to find its way.copyright protection103ＰＥＮＡＮＡd5o0xwWmUT
It starts walking again. It just had to look.copyright protection103ＰＥＮＡＮＡLk92xC4vPC
She senses another presence in the room and stares at her textbook harder than before. She flips the page, wishing it'd just leave her alone. The figure stands at her desk, across her dorm room.copyright protection103ＰＥＮＡＮＡd7s9eCqeaH
Hello, She hears the whisper. She remains silent.copyright protection103ＰＥＮＡＮＡxSmuMEuabD
The presence approaches her bed slowly. Her eyes flick upwards in its direction but sees nothing. As always. She looks down at her textbook again, trying to ignore it.copyright protection103ＰＥＮＡＮＡHAAVeN8SZO
The presence stands at the foot of her bed and stares at her. You really don't talk much.copyright protection103ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9MZbaSs4Kg
There's a long silence.copyright protection103ＰＥＮＡＮＡasDa9NipKR
This is the first time I've seen a wizard before.copyright protection103ＰＥＮＡＮＡpBshgeoKwX
She blinks, looking up. The darkness where the presence was shifts, darkening, as if it were disturbed water, rippling.copyright protection103ＰＥＮＡＮＡlCuhkk05wC
"Really?" She asks it.copyright protection103ＰＥＮＡＮＡl4cpVKfbZm
May I sit? The presence asks. Slowly, she nods.copyright protection103ＰＥＮＡＮＡigG6pwaKr7
As the presence sits, the figure appears. Dark, formless, with bright red eyes and a scar.copyright protection103ＰＥＮＡＮＡGMBq5sSHvO
"What are you?" She asks it.copyright protection103ＰＥＮＡＮＡTo1rJl9saZ
A Fragment Shadow, It replies, mouth unmoving. And you?copyright protection103ＰＥＮＡＮＡymenGhEHJO
"A... Death wizard," She mutters. "I'm Morganthe." The Fragment tilts its head as if confused. "That's my name. Do you have one?"copyright protection103ＰＥＮＡＮＡCzqhtmOqFd
No, It replies simply.copyright protection103ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Ms4dfWFuU
It finally found her.copyright protection103ＰＥＮＡＮＡsxeGsDBS1j
"So you don't visit me?" Morganthe asks slowly.copyright protection103ＰＥＮＡＮＡscrSTwciLx
I didn't know how to get here until now. And now I know. It glances around her dorm room. This is all different for me.copyright protection103ＰＥＮＡＮＡQNgvQDyTzQ
"You don't act like the others."copyright protection103ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5sAhDDa2q1
Others?copyright protection103ＰＥＮＡＮＡ01s0qQoicb
"The other voices," Morganthe slowly closes her textbook. "They laugh at me."copyright protection103ＰＥＮＡＮＡyr4Ois5vZA
The Fragment nods. My siblings are unpleasant. Do you see them?copyright protection103ＰＥＮＡＮＡCbXFANUSoL
"No, but I can sense them. It's my ability. Proximity Sensing."copyright protection103ＰＥＮＡＮＡzeMb3fYwtS
The Fragment looks down at her textbook. What were you doing?copyright protection103ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2el03pHVAm
"Studying. But... not anymore," Her mouth twitches into a small smile. "It's been a while since I've talked like this to anyone. I like it."copyright protection103ＰＥＮＡＮＡJahAmDYMyV
But you're surrounded by people, aren't you?copyright protection103ＰＥＮＡＮＡS7zXeWUq3C
Morganthe shakes her head. "I've been a little bit of a loner. People laugh at me."copyright protection103ＰＥＮＡＮＡrLrRWwIzD6
Why do they laugh?copyright protection103ＰＥＮＡＮＡiGHBD7q0EN
"I don't know..." Her mouth twists into a frown, and she glances at her bed. "Maybe because of my parents. They didn't want me to study Death, but I did anyways. Now everyone hates me."copyright protection103ＰＥＮＡＮＡQFZWT5JLJO
Is this normal?copyright protection103ＰＥＮＡＮＡGWdA3Biqkx
"Not really," Morganthe replies quietly. "But to those that study something different than their parents had... It's hard."copyright protection103ＰＥＮＡＮＡTH13R4fBbQ
But I'm not laughing, am I?copyright protection103ＰＥＮＡＮＡgtyDWmdFvQ
She looks back up at the Fragment. "No." She didn't know how to feel about that, either. "Do you always sound like that?"copyright protection103ＰＥＮＡＮＡXIbbBKeV9L
Like what?copyright protection103ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5KdX1ueeVt
"That. A whisper of many voices."copyright protection103ＰＥＮＡＮＡbZCRwxZCKI
The Fragment scowls. Do you not like it?copyright protection103ＰＥＮＡＮＡfwwqGhmlo2
"It's strange."copyright protection103ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5xlir9pE0W
It falls silent for a moment, head tilted down as if thinking. Morganthe's fingers stray back to her textbook cover.copyright protection103ＰＥＮＡＮＡarso3upw4d
How about this? It asks at last. It no longer sounded like voices, but rather a voice. Clear, defined. A boy, about her age, or that's what she thought of. It was shaky, too, the Fragment not used to having just one voice. But she could look past it. It was better.copyright protection103ＰＥＮＡＮＡqbQxQBe5Jj
"Much better." She smiles. She watches a small white line appear, curving upwards into a smile like hers. Its mouth. The smile, too, felt uncomfortable. But that was alright.copyright protection103ＰＥＮＡＮＡuVIH3yS2VQ
"You're smiling."copyright protection103ＰＥＮＡＮＡHIMqWO4kic
Is that what this is called?copyright protection103ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9UW7Fqq9BL
"You don't smile?"copyright protection103ＰＥＮＡＮＡhtTQ1ju04J
Its smile quickly disappears. There's no reason to, no. It tilts its head again. Why do you smile?copyright protection103ＰＥＮＡＮＡSnnrEfrtW4
Morganthe blinks. An... odd question. "Whenever I'm happy, or when I'm proud."copyright protection103ＰＥＮＡＮＡgzTLsEaEuG
What do you mean by that?copyright protection103ＰＥＮＡＮＡUS57pVY4yl
She stares down at her bed, hands gripping her cold ankles. Her whole room was cold. "I don't know how to explain it. It's just something you experience."copyright protection103ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7fBGNHp1Sn
All I am is empty.copyright protection103ＰＥＮＡＮＡSJ54xSnDJ6
Morganthe opens her mouth to say something, but the Fragment stands from the bed, it's form shifting.copyright protection103ＰＥＮＡＮＡuB2kD8eV9a
I need to go now. It tells her. Once again, it smiles strangely. Thank you for entertaining me.copyright protection103ＰＥＮＡＮＡRE6TvJm14B
Morganthe nods. "And thank you for cheering me up. Will you come back?"copyright protection103ＰＥＮＡＮＡvPuuC0Aql7
The Fragment narrows its eyes. Possibly.copyright protection103ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9ikrCcou0r
Then it turns, and its form evaporates. Morganthe stares on as she senses it walk back over to her desk and, eventually, disappears.copyright protection103ＰＥＮＡＮＡhy1bRFCHh4
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