Into the Unknown: Chapter 25.5

The door to her room clicked open, and Phos stepped through, a bit of a slouch to her shoulders. As soon as it closed behind her, a little green sprite squirmed its way out of her hood.

“Phos, Phos!” Shinsha exclaimed,

“Hey Shinsha,” Phos replied, “Thanks for staying in all this time.”

“Hmph!” Shinsha landed on her outstretched hand, “Repay, repay. Flowers, flowers.”

“But you just had some.”

“More, more.”

Phos looked at the little light bouncing on her palm for a moment, before sighing, “Okay, we can get some tomorrow too.”

“So, how’d it go?” A voice asked from further in the room.

Both Indigo and Fletch were sitting on their respective beds, completely undressed and ready for the night.

Phos sighed again, her shoulders drooping a little more. “Could’ve gone better.”

“Did you get any information?”

“Yeah… A little.”

“And did you give any information?” Indigo asked with a raised brow.

“...Yeah… A little…”

She sighed, “What did you find out?”

“Well, there’s a girl named Angel, she has wings. And a girl named W, who makes things explode.”

“Which one had the ‘gun’?” Fletch asked,

Phos blinked, “W, I think.”

“And what did you tell them?” Indigo demanded,

“Just this,” Phos raised her right hand and pulled off the glove.

“Of course you did.” Indigo huffed, “Well whatever, it’s not like you can do much with that anyway.”

Phos clutched her hands closer to her chest, “I can do things with it.”

“In a fight?” Indigo reiterated,

“...I can do some things with it…”

“Sure.” Indigo rolled her eyes, and ended up staring at the ceiling. “Can you turn the lanterns down? I want to go to sleep soon.”

“Yeah,” Fletch added, “How did you do that?”

“You just flip this switch on the wall, here.” Phos moved over to do it.

All the lights shut off, leaving them in complete darkness.

“Not all of them.” Indigo complained,

“The switch controls all of them.” Phos replied,

“You can’t choose which ones to dim?”

Phos flicked the lightswitch on again, then off, then on. “I don’t think so.”

Indigo just sighed, “Then leave them on for now.”

“How did you know it did that?” Fletch asked,

Phos looked over at her, “There were lights like these where I came from. I think they run on electricity.”

“So you know how they work.” Indigo deduced,

“I know they work.” Phos replied, “Not how.”

“Just like all the other nonsense you’ve spouted,” Indigo muttered, “So you understand everything that’s going on right now?”

“Nope.”

“Wonderful.” Indigo grunted, “What do you know then?”

“I know this place has electricity,” Phos pointed up, “And I know where I’m sleeping tonight,” Her hand turned to the floor. Any more than that, we’ll just have to see.”

“Then what about this?” Indigo asked, producing a small object in her hoof. “What is this?”

Phos squinted at it, “It looks like a ball of foil. Where’d you find it?”

“It was on all our beds.” Fletch answered, holding up her own.

“It has a pleasant smell.” Indigo continued, “But the inside feels like wax. Is it a scented candle or something?”

“Give it here.” Phos held out her hand with a sigh.

The little foil wrapped object floated over to her, and she gently took it and unwrapped it, revealing a shiny, dark brown bar.

Phos blinked, “This is chocolate.”

“‘Chocolate?’” Indigo repeated,

“What is chocolate?” Fletch asked,

“It’s…” Phos trailed off, “You eat it, it’s candy.”

As soon as the word ‘candy’ was mentioned, the wrapper was off of Fletch’s chocolate, and it was in her mouth.

“MM!” She practically choked, “It’s sho good!”

Indigo rolled her eyes again, “You’re just going to trust a random sweet you found?”

“It’s not random.” Phos held up a finger, “That’s something they do at hotels. It’s complimentary, to help ease you in.”

“It seems a bit pompous, but fine. Give mine back.” Indigo gestured with her hoof.

Phos held out her hand, and the chocolate was quickly levitated back over to Indigo, who then unwrapped it and placed it in her mouth.

She shuddered, falling back onto her bed and moaning.

“Now this is luxury. I can’t believe this is all expenses paid.”

“I mean chocolate’s not that…” Phos trailed off, realizing Fletch was staring right at her. “Uh… Fletch?”

“Phos…” She said slowly, “You’re not going to eat your piece, aren’t you.”

“Well no, but…”

Fletch was already on the move, leaping from her bed and onto the third, going straight for the chocolate on the pillow.

Only for a knife to embed itself in the headboard.

“Stop.” Phos ordered, “That’s not fair.”

“But you don’t even eat!” Fletch complained,

“That doesn’t mean it’s yours.” Phos continued, stepping around to the other side of the bed. “Here.” She wrenched her knife out and grabbed the chocolate.

Placing it on the nightstand, she quickly cut it in two, giving half to Fletch, and holding the other half out for a little green light to flutter over to.

“There.” Phos lifted her finger, the chocolate gone from her hand.

Fletch’s half was already gone as well, and she just sat on the bed, pouting.

“Relax, Fletch. We can probably get more.”

“Right now?!”

“No.”

“Awww…”

“Just go to sleep.” Indigo sighed. “Phos, the lanterns?”

“Right.” She nodded, walking over to the lightswitch and flipping it.

It didn’t get as dark as it had before, considering a bright green light was zipping around the room, but it was dark enough. Phos watched her two companions getting under their covers before nodding once, and bending over to lay down on the floor, completely ignoring the third bed.

Then she closed her eyes, and waited.

“...Turn this dark future… Into a bright one…”

Phos’s eyes snapped open, and she quickly glanced around the room. Shinsha was still fluttering about, but it looked like her journey was nearing its end. The other two remained silent, one or the other most likely already fast asleep.

That voice… it didn’t sound like any of them either. Where had it come from?

And that was the last thing she thought before going unconscious.

To Be Continued…

Author's Note

What just happened? Did Phos hear something? Something unknown, something foreign, something, dare I say, alien? We’ll just have to find out. Or maybe we won't? Maybe it was a one time thing?! Oh God, I’m freaking out, I gotta go! Peace! – Uncle Iroh

Phos has a knack for falling unconscious. Don’t worry, it’s natural… for her. Anyway, the name of this chapter is a little callback to Phos’s own story. As of now, it’s on hiatus, and the latest chapter is Chapter 25. This is essentially Chapter 25.5 of that story (Not really). But in related news, Chapter 26, and all the other chapters with Arc 2 are ready and waiting. So be on the lookout for those in the future! ♦☻♦ - Conglomerate