Love Crafted

Chapter Twenty-Five

Dreamer.

You squirm a little, flashes and visions of the great void, of the strange and wondrous things you saw and felt within it, of the eternal quiet between destinations passing through your minds eye.

Dreamer, wake up sweetie.

You remember the cold bite of the dark, and the harsher bite of loneliness. Then youd find someone, a friend, a rival, a snack.

Dreamer. Something shakes you. Dreamer, we need to wake up!

You yawn, jaw cracking as you open it really, really wide. Then your eyes flutter open and you take in Abigails face only a hair away from yours. Her eyes are wide and she lets out a sigh and a noise thats neither happy nor sad.

Good, youre up, she says. Were going to be late, Dreamer, we need to hurry!

You yawn again and stuff a hand over your mouth like Abigail and Daphne do when theyre yawning. Okay, you agree. Your tentacuddlers unravel a bit, some of them pushing away the corner of the blankets that are left over you and the others lifting Abigail up to place her next to the bed.

You turn around and stuff your face back into a pillow, eyes closing once more.

A shake of your shoulders has you waking up again. Dreamer, breakfast is ready.

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You snap awake and look around. You dont know how, but in the time it took for you to blink Abigail changed out of her sleeping clothes and into the black robes of her school uniform and is holding a tray with a plate covered in chopped potatoes and scrambled eggs.

Youre so fast! You tell her as you sit up and use a few tentacles to hold up the platter.

Just going as fast as I can, Abigail says. I dont want to be late today of all days.

Well, you decide that if Abigails in a hurry, then you can do things fast too! A tentacle splits apart into hundreds of fine tendrils that spear into your potato wedges and shoves them into your mouth, then you tip the plate back and open wide so that the eggs can flow down your throat.

The glass of milk Abigail brings you goes down just as fast.

Mmm, okay, Im ready! you say as you hop out of bed. A twist in space and a brand new copy of your dress is flung into you and you squirm until youre wearing it properly. Okay, we can go now! you say as you pull out a pair of cuffs and slip those on too.

Ah, well, Abigail says. I just need to finish packing, itll only take a minute.

You watch her scurry around the house in a rush, picking up books and papers and stuffing them in a big burlap sack. She even picks up that ugly cone hat she bought and plops it onto her head.

Abigail, today is important, right? you ask her.

Yes, very, Abigail agrees. Its the first day. Its... the most important day, maybe.

Oh, okay, you say. In that case I should make sure you look extra pretty. That way everyone will know that youre really important.

Abigail pauses in her rushing and turns towards you. Her floofy hair is all frazzled and her big glasses are barely hanging onto the tip of her nose. Look extra pretty? she repeats.

Of course, Abigail is already very pretty. She has a cute nose, just like yours, and cute freckles, just like yours, and cute hair, just like yours. But you can make her even more prettier if you try. And thats without giving her her own tentacles.

Nodding, you reach around with a big tentacle and stuff it into the planets core to siphon off some of that yummy life juice. Open wide!

Wha--

A tentacle jams itself into Abigails mouth and spurts life juice down her throat while shes too tired to yank it out. Its a good thing that you only wanted to give her a little because when you pull it out she coughs and sputters a lot.

Dreamer! Wh-what was that for! she says. Then she notices that her skin now has a nice, healthy glow. Dreamer, what?

I made you more magical! you say before a tentacle removes her ugly hat and a million more, smaller tentacles run through her hair and unmuss it. Youll be so pretty that all the other Familiars will want you to be their Summoner, but they cant have you because youre mine. And the boys will want to mate with you. But they cant because if they try Ill eat them.

Dreamer! Abigail snaps. Its not a happy sound and you notice that her eyes are pinched while looking right at you. Enough. Please. I know you just want to help, and its nice, but you need to ask before doing things.

But--

No, no buts Dreamer. Im not like you, Im... Im less strong, okay? I dont want you to hurt me and I dont want to lose you. Please?

You freeze for a long moment. Abigail is right that shes all squishy and weak, its part of what makes her so good for cuddling, but if shes too weak. Ah, you say. Im sorry Abigail. I just wanted to help you be super pretty."

Abigail grabs you in a tight hug. I dont need to be pretty Dreamer, Im happy as I am, okay?

Oh, okay.

Right, Abigail says. Lets hope that I stop... glowing before we arrive at the gates. I look like a pompous noble this way. Sheesh.

Like a princess? you ask.

Abigail rolls her eyes, picks up her bag with one arm, and reaches out a hand for you to grab. Cmon Dreamer, we have a full day ahead of us!