Meanwhile, back at Dr. Hugo's residence, a soft rustle stirred the silence of the cozy room. Chiaki's eyes blinked open slowly, lashes fluttering as her vision adjusted to the filtered light pouring in through the slits in the curtains.
She shifted on the sofa, the blanket sliding down her shoulder. A peculiar warmth throbbed in her chest, crawling downward like a slow wave. Her brows knit in confusion.
"…Mnh?" She sat up halfway, her palm pressing into the cushions as she took a shaky breath. "What's with this feeling…?"
Her skin felt hot — not feverish, but tingling. Her legs subtly squeezed together as a strange awareness of her body made itself known. There wasn't pain, or fear, or even exhaustion. Just this strange hum beneath her skin, like her body remembered something her mind couldn't catch up to.
"I-I'm not cold, but…" She tugged at her collar a little, the scarf suddenly feeling too tight. Her breath came slower, deeper, like she was trying to calm a storm that hadn't quite started.
"Was I dreaming?" Her voice was softer now, almost hushed — like someone trying not to wake a memory. She frowned, touching the side of her neck where her pulse beat stronger than usual.
Her face flushed gently, unexplainably. "This isn't normal," she mumbled, rubbing her thighs slowly under the blanket. "I feel like… I don't know. Like something's stirred up inside me."
Chiaki leaned forward, pressing her fingers to her temples. "Ugh, what's wrong with me? I got beat half to death, not kissed or anything." She tried to chuckle, but the laugh came out dry, tinged with unease.
She looked down at her body — whole, healed, but oddly alive. Her nerves felt sensitive, like every touch from the blanket sparked something more.
"Maybe it's… enchantment backlash? Like emotional residue or something? Or…" Her words trailed off as her eyes widened slightly. "No, no way. That'd be ridiculous."
But as she laid back again, her fingers twitching slightly over her stomach, her mind continued to wander — half curious, half afraid.
"…What happened to me out there?"
Chiaki was still lying on the couch, her fingers idly drumming against her stomach, brows furrowed as she tried to make sense of the lingering heat pulsing through her. Just then, heavy footsteps echoed from the staircase.
Shanya appeared, rubbing her neck and yawning, wearing her usual baggy tee and ripped jeans, hair messy like she'd just rolled out of a brawl instead of a nap.
"Yo," she muttered, hopping down the last step. "You up already? Damn, I was gonna bring you some soup or somethin'—old man Hugo's got this funky root thing that smells like burnt licorice."
Chiaki sat up a bit straighter, startled. "Shanya… you ever feel, like… weird? Outta nowhere?"
Shanya raised a brow. "Weird?" She scratched her head, then shrugged. "Girl, I wake up weird half the time. Be more specific."
Chiaki hesitated. "It's like… this feeling. Warm. Tingly. Not like pain, just… buzzing all over. Really distracting."
Shanya blinked, then snorted and flopped down in a chair nearby. "Pfft. No lie, I've had that. Like... not that long ago. Thought I was havin' a stroke or somethin', but it was more like—like someone flipped a switch inside me and my whole body went, 'Hey, pay attention!'"
Chiaki's eyes widened. "You too?"
"Hell yeah. Was out scouting last week, right? Got grazed by some enchantment trap, and next thing I know I'm crouched behind a tree, heart poundin' like I ran ten laps, feelin' all wired and... I dunno, alive. Like, weirdly alive."
Chiaki looked down, her cheeks flushing slightly. "It's so annoying. I don't even know what triggered it."
Shanya leaned back, throwing her boots up on the coffee table. "Maybe we got hit by some weird ambient enchant. Or maybe it's somethin' deeper, y'know? Like somethin' in us just... clickin'."
She pointed lazily at Chiaki. "You got magic stitched into your skin, yeah? Maybe that messed with your nerves a bit. Messed with your head too."
"Maybe," Chiaki muttered, touching the side of her neck again. "Still feels... strange. Like something's about to start and I'm just waiting."
Shanya tilted her head, grin crooked. "Welcome to the club. Weird feelings, broken sleep, nerves all sparkin'. We're either cursed, awakened... or just really, really overdue for some kinda mental breakdown."
They both shared a short laugh, half-nervous, half-comforting.
Chiaki leaned back into the cushions, sighing. "Well… if it gets worse, I'm blaming you."
Shanya smirked. "Fair. But if we explode or somethin', we go out lookin' cool."
Chiaki lay still on the sofa, that strange, tingling sensation refusing to fade. Her legs trembled faintly, and a nervous breath slipped from her lips. "Okay, this is getting out of hand…" she muttered, casting a wary glance down at her thighs.
She pressed a palm to her stomach, the warmth beneath her skin humming steadily—unfamiliar, persistent. "Why does it feel like my body's heating up for no reason? Is this some kind of aftereffect from the wound… or the enchantment?" Her voice trailed off, a touch breathless, uncertain. Her brows furrowed deeply as she leaned forward, staring at the floor.
"It's like... every nerve is sparking, but not from pain. It's something else. Something I don't get." She shifted, uncomfortable. "Ugh, come on, Chiaki. Pull yourself together."
Then came the familiar sound of boots again, against floorboards. Shanya descended the stairs entirely with her usual slouch, arms crossed, a sharp glint in her eye. She leaned against the wall just inside the room, letting out a sigh.
"Well, damn," she said, scratching her cheek. "It's happening again."
Chiaki looked up sharply. "What?"
Shanya shrugged one shoulder, tone casual but clearly agitated. "Woke up in the middle of the night with the same freakin' feeling like last time. Second damn time it's hit me this week. Thought it was somethin' I ate, but now I ain't so sure."
Chiaki's expression tightened. "So it's not just me…"
"Legs feel weird? Like they're about to twitch on their own?" Shanya asked, her tone more serious now. "Like you're buzzin' inside, but there ain't no reason for it?"
Chiaki nodded slowly. "Exactly that. Like I'm reacting to something invisible."
Shanya walked over and sat on the arm of the sofa. "Yeah. First time it happened, I ignored it. Thought it'd pass. But this time? Nah. It hit harder. It's like somethin's building up, like we're being... triggered somehow."
Chiaki glanced down at her legs again, still trembling. "This is bad, right?"
Shanya blew out a breath, leaning forward. "I dunno what it is, but we gotta figure it out. Fast."
"This feeling… it's just so strange," Chiaki murmured, her voice low and shaky. "I-I don't think I've ever felt anything like it before. And if I have, it's never been this strong."
She shifted uncomfortably on the sofa, her hands trembling slightly as she ran them down her arms. "It usually only came when I was alone… I never really paid it much attention. But now? It's different. It's—hot. Not just warm… my whole body feels like it's burning up from the inside."
Suddenly, her legs gave out beneath her. She dropped to her knees on the floor with a soft gasp, her breath catching as her chest rose and fell with increasing urgency. A faint blush crept up her neck, her fingers curling against the floorboards.
"Wh-what's happening to me…?" she whispered, eyes wide, her voice tinged with confusion and alarm. "Why now… why so suddenly?"
She held her stomach with one hand, the warmth intensifying. Her other hand gripped the edge of the sofa, trying to steady herself.
From across the room, Shanya narrowed her eyes, watching closely. "Chiaki, you alright? That ain't just some dizziness, is it?"
Chiaki shook her head, still struggling to speak clearly. "I… I don't know. It's like something's building up and I can't stop it."
A sudden knock echoed through the quiet room, followed by a familiar voice.
"Hey, we're back," came Temoshí's voice from beyond the front door, calm and casual.
Chiaki's eyes widened in panic. The moment she heard his voice, a wave of heat rushed over her body, stronger than before. Her face flushed crimson, her breathing shallower, her entire body reacting without explanation.
"N-No way…" she stammered, trembling as she clutched her stomach. "It's getting worse…"
She struggled to her feet, wobbling slightly as she stumbled toward the hallway.
"I-I need the bathroom. Now," she blurted out, barely able to meet Shanya's eyes. "I feel… really off! Something's not right."
"Yo, what the hell's up with you now?" Shanya asked, raising a brow, arms crossed as she leaned on the wall. "You look like you just ran a freakin' marathon. You sure you're not burning up with a fever or somethin'?"
Chiaki didn't answer. She practically darted off toward the bathroom, her mind a blur of sensations she couldn't explain. As she shut the door behind her, she leaned against it and closed her eyes, her back sliding down slowly.
"It's him… why did it just hit me like this when he got near?" she whispered, pressing a hand to her chest as her heartbeat thundered.
Meanwhile, in the main hall, Temoshí stepped inside with Stich. He tilted his head curiously.
"Was that Chiaki just now?" he asked. "She bolted off like she saw a ghost."
Shanya watched the hallway with a skeptical look, biting the edge of her thumb. "Yeah… somethin's goin' on with her. And honestly? I think it's got something to do with you."
Temoshí blinked. "Me?"
Shanya muttered under her breath, "Tch. This is gettin' way weirder than I signed up for…"
"Ugh, seriously? Can't you guys give it a break for five minutes?" Phoebe's voice called from downstairs, still half-asleep. She yawned, rubbing her eyes as she appeared at the top of the stairs. "I was trying to catch some sleep after last night's mess."
"What's going on?" she asked, noticing the tense atmosphere.
Stitch leaned weakly against the wall, looking at her and Shanya. "Whoa, are you guys alright? You look like you've been through a battle with a beast. Where's Mendy?"
Shanya noticed Stitch's downcast mood and raised an eyebrow, her tone becoming serious. "Yeah, where is Mendy?"
Stitch sighed and looked away. "She's gone. I don't really want to talk about it right now. What matters is that the royal guards are finally getting the message. They're heading back to Phalris to talk to her about what Desmond's done."
Temoshí stepped forward, hand on his hip, his gaze locked on the bathroom door. "But what about Chiaki? She's up now, but something's definitely off. This isn't like her."
Shanya ran a hand through her hair, her usual tough attitude still a bit off. "Yeah, she woke up not long ago, but somethin's off with her. She's actin' all weird. I ain't sure what the hell's goin' on, but I'm feelin' a little off myself. Guess I'm dealin' with it better than she is, but damn… I got no clue what's up."
Temoshí narrowed his eyes, concerned. "What exactly are you feeling?"
As Shanya spoke, she suddenly froze, her body tensing as she felt another wave of heat rush through her. She flinched and looked away, clearly embarrassed. "N-Nothin!' D-Damn it… What the hell is wrong with me?" she muttered, swallowing hard as she tried to push the feeling aside.
To be continued...