Investigate Now, Flirt Later

I woke up after what seemed to be the most refreshing sleep I ever had. Marik’s memories seem like just a dream I had. This time I woke up bundled in comfortable fur on top of the softest bed I’d ever laid on in my life. Most importantly, not on the arms of any beautiful man, thankfully.

I still feel that I am forgetting something.

I looked around and noticed that I was in a completely different room. The high arched ceilings and daylight that slanted through stained glass somehow made the existing floral fragrance much stronger. Some of the flowers are on top of the glass roof. There were doors too. No Marik, just the stone he handed me earlier on my bedside.

Is this a green house of sorts? There is light! If it isn’t artificial then that must mean there is a way out!

It took a beat before the events from the day before came flooding back. Celphi and Mede. Bonds. The scorpion army. The shimmering green rock that allowed me to see into Marik’s childhood. The images, his feeling, his memories, like I had walked a thousand miles in his heart.

So am I really Raiona? The kid he saw could look like younger me. Well there is the issue of the mark from Celphi. I had this mark before I lost my memory and it changed recently as Celphi evolved. I can’t deny that.

’Marik?’ I called out. No response.

So was that Marik’s voice inside my head before I woke up? Adult Marik in particular?

The sound of crashing metal and muffled cursing, however, gave me relief that he wasn't too far. I wandered barefoot to what looked like a royal kitchen, tucked into a corner of the residence. Or under the ground villa.

There he was. Marik. Awkward, spoiled, privileged brat. Commanding the plants to cook themselves. And he looked serious. His sleeves were rolled up, his veins protruding and weaving on his arms. Hair slightly tousled, and he had a smear of something greenish on his cheek.

‘Trying to poison us both?’ I said, crossing my arms.

He looked up, startled, and grinned. ‘Ah! The royal guest awakens. Come, sit. I’m making…’ He looks around.

‘Breakfast?’

I peeked into the pan and wasnt able to hide the fear. ‘You call that food?’

Marik mock scowled. ‘I’ll have you know this is a traditional dish in my kingdom. ‘‘Scrambled regrets.’’ Want to help?’

‘Hahaha’, my laugh seemed to have echoed throughout the entirety of this property.

‘I would, but these ingredients… What is that, a purple gum?’

‘Looks like a root. Could be an animal’s organ for all I know,’ he said, sniffing it and wincing.

‘Wait, aren’t you a princess? Aren’t you trained in elegant cookery and delicate snacking ceremonies?’

‘First off,’ I said, as I selected a fruit and tried sniffing it.

Celphi would know which is which.

‘I’m from Earth. Our most sacred food is instant ramen. This, stuff?’ I held up a glowing herb. ‘This looks like it’ll make me touch time and trip over shadows.’

Marik leaned back against the counter, cheeky grin in place. ‘If that happens, you can just fall over my…’

‘Nope,’ I cut in and tossed a fruit at his head. He dodged it easily, laughing.

‘Oh come on! Didn't the child version of you like tall, tanned, rough muscled, and devastatingly handsome men?’

I tilted my head in confusion.

‘Can’t say,’ I smirked. ‘Don’t remember who I liked. Was there a Riri?’

‘Riye’ he corrected with a scowl.

‘Ah. Don’t know. Means I get to make new choices,’ I said, and tossed a second fruit to him as he was still sitting suggestively with his arms open. I wished he’d slide off the counter.

Marik caught it. ‘So I saw you first! Then I call dibs. You’re mine.’ And took a bite of whatever I threw at him.

As if.

My eye rolled so hard I’m afraid I’ve strained it.

*******

After the near edible ‘‘scrambled regrets’’ we consumed alongside sweet citrus fruits, Marik led me to a hidden indoor garden with a warm central pool nestled under moonstone looking glass panels. The steam rose in waves, like magic. The soft sound of trickling water echoing gently in the chamber. The place reeked of a certain floral odor the most.

Marik, now shirtless and smug, dipped into the water, flicking some toward me. ‘Coming in?’

I did not have to look too much. One quick glance was all it took. Every muscle in his body was perfectly carved. Like Marik was designed to make women’s brains shut down at the sight of him. Broad shoulders that looked like you can rely on, a defined chest with pillow looking pecs, and abs that looked like breakfast rolls.

‘I saw that.’ Marik’s gaze pierced through to me. ‘Just sit. Close to me.’

Hmm, this man is trouble.

I sat at the edge, and dipped my feet. ‘You’d like that too much.’

Marik smirked, voice low. ‘I would.’

I kept my distance, observing him. His body glided through the water with ease as he swam. As if he was a part of it. He went back to showing his body off, and he was good at it. And he did look like a feast.

Only I wasn’t hungry. Also there’s a pile of concerns in my mind. Get back to Earth. Go back to Celphi. Check on Mede. And I was still wondering about the nagging feeling that I forgot something.

Marik did prove to me I was Raiona. What if he can manipulate his memories, to make Raiona look like me?

I was unassumingly lost in thought as I stared at Marik’s glorious build. He winked.

Blerrghh… Nevermind your pretty body or nice face. I don’t like shameless guys…

’I mean, no one is really stopping you. In fact, I encourage you. Do you not smell the Week Flower? It is everywhere yet you still don’t crawl to me.’ A combined puzzled and annoyed look on Marik’s face.

Ah! So that’s why there was a persistent flower smell in each room.

‘I found out that I was immune to some poison here.’

Maybe I shouldn’t have said that.

‘Oh? Shall we try with my stinger?’ Marik asked as he manifested his scorpion tail behind him. Though his face suggested something else.

Woah that is a massive stinger! I wonder what they’d look like when in full scorpion form? …Maybe I don't tell him that.

‘You really fell for Raiona, huh?’ I asked with hopes to steer his mind somewhere else.

’I couldn’t dance unfortunately.’ I added.

He couldn’t have manipulated child Raiona in his memory to somehow resemble me. He would just go to the real Raiona. Not a fake one. Therefore I must be the real one.

Marik tilted his head back, then nodded. ‘Well.’

A pause. His face described a lot of possibilities and none of them I liked.

Is he just realizing that I am an entirely different person? Say, even if I did have Raiona’s body? I am not that anymore.

‘Maybe I can jog your memory for you? Amongst…’

’Shut it, thirsty boy.’ I aggressively splashed water to Marik, with hopes of cleansing his unholy mouth and dirty brain. ‘Here, drink something.’ I tried dousing him with endless water.

Drown! Repent!

’You haven’t even asked me anything at all. You aren’t interested in me as a person. Don’t tell me you’re only after my body!’

Raiona or Ina, whichever it is, we won’t fall so easily to a pretty body, pretty words and aromatic flowers of seduction. I had practice from Celphi. Well, maybe it is not fair to compare a cute hopeless Celphi to a sexy beast Marik.

Celphi, I realized, triggers my maternal instincts. Marik, I did not have the intention to find out what he triggers. Well, definitely my anger is one.

He laughed. ‘I’ve waited years already. I can wait a few days more.’ He wiped his face dry and brushed his hair back in the sexiest motion I’ve only seen in perfume commercials.

’Keep dreaming!’ I said as I flick more water at his infuriatingly smug face.

’You will come to me. Eventually. I can see it in your eyes.’

’So you took me away, just to confess? And not even directly. You did it via your memories!’

’Basically.’ Marik swam up to me. His eyes locked in like a predator with a target.

’Though, I can tell you now word by word too.’ Marik winked. Again.

‘Or, in any manner you’d like.’ He said as he licked his lips.

This idiot's own seduction flower is working on him and him alone. Pathetic.

I took my feet out of the water before he got the chance to pull me.

’I’m good on that!’ I yelped as he lightly sent some water my way for missing me by a centimeter.

Bleh! I pulled down one lower eyelid and stuck out my tongue at him as I made my rushed exit.

Ok now what. He’s told Raiona his feelings. And then? I can’t possibly ask what his next plan is with me! I am sure he would rather ‘’show me’’. Can I go home now? Where is home anyways? I’d like to learn as much first from Marik before I go anywhere. About Raiona and this world. Not about him or his abs.

A brilliant idea crossed my mind then. I went through the place as Marik was still swimming. There were a lot of doors. Some lead to a walk-in cupboard… or closet? Some rooms. Most are vacant. A couple are locked.

One room had 2 doors. Two doors led to other rooms and one to what I would assume is the toilet. I heard from Celphi that some creatures do not have toilet bowls. Some creatures just use a hole to the ground, even on the wall at times. This door has a giant hole behind it. Bigger than what I would assume for private businesses.

If this not for number 2, worst case scenario I could squeeze in there to escape. I will come back to check on the locked doors later. Maybe I can come across some keys.

I went back to the room I woke up in and decided to pick up the green stone that was on the floor.

‘I didn’t leave that there…’ I whispered to myself.

The moment I held it, I was once more transported back into Marik’s memory.