The Butterfly Effect

What Time Forgot: No Backing Out (Nadia)



He kept telling her that she'd regret the decision—that their bond wasn't something to be easily broken. He fought with her, almost, at least to the extent that a spirit could. While she was awake, he taunted her; when she slept, she saw what he'd done when he was alive. But nestled in those nightmares of his past were some of her own, too.

And she'd long decided she'd rather be dead than be any use to them.

"I explained a lot of it when I set up the appointment," Leon said gently as they walked through Levi Asari. "I… don't know how much they'd really understand, though. It's a little difficult to justify it when it's not directly hindering you and the other part is… very dependent on something that should stay between us."

"But we can try, right?" Nadia mumbled in response. "Anything to get him out of my head."
You're going to regret this, he hissed. To think my blood would want nothing to do with me! What do you think you have without me, child? Where do you think you'd be, who do you think you'd claim yourself as, were it not for me? And you would be rid of me that easily?

She had so much she could say to that. But she kept it all to herself, because she didn't want everyone else to think she was talking to herself. She simply resolved to tell herself that, soon enough, it wouldn't matter; he'd be gone soon, one way or another.

They walked into the Lysha headquarters, with perhaps only one or two people looking up to see who it was. Nadia nervously followed the more neutral Leon, who walked up to the front desk to talk to the lady there.

"I'd set up an appointment a couple days ago for my niece," he explained. He was just loud enough for the receptionist to hear over the hum of the others. "Her name is Nadia Mikah. It was about her String of Spirits..?"

The woman nodded and shuffled through a few papers. "Yes, it looks like that's on our record. I'll spare you all the questions—they're going to ask them all once you get there anyway. Just head to the third room on the right. I'll get someone to inform the Bat and the Vulture that you've arrived."

Just as she said it, she made a vague gesture, and someone—much younger, perhaps newer—vigorously nodded and darted away.

Nadia felt herself shrink a little. "Do both of them really need to be there..?"

"It's a compromise we have to make," Leon explained. "This is a serious decision. It's not exactly something that can be taken lightly."

"He's right," the woman mumbled. She'd already started looking through something else. "Now get going. You're just holding up the line."

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They both nodded, though the look between them seemed to say what they wouldn't out loud: there wasn't… actually a line, was there?

Leon took the lead and went to the room in question. The door was already half-open, with a note saying that it was being used at around this time, so he gently pushed it open. The room was completely empty aside from a desk and a chair on either side of it. They both stood nervously just inside the room, neither quite sure where else to go or what else to do.

Luckily, a hushed conversation getting somewhat louder assured her they might not be waiting for too long.

"Is Tyche coming?"

"I thought of inviting her."

"So the answer's no?"

"She was taking her smoke break. You haven't known her as long as I have—that's not something you want to interrupt."

A sigh. "You know, I'm starting to sense a pattern here."

"Took you four years to find one?"

But the two faces that soon walked in were both giving soft smiles.

The younger of the two—the one who'd spoken first—gestured to himself and then his companion. "I'm the Vulture, Dusek, and this is the Bat, Atka. You're Nadia Mikah, right? Here to remove a spirit?"

She nodded. She acknowledged that he shared their names but, honestly, never saw a reason to call them anything other than the Bat and the Vulture. It was the only time she'd ever see them, after all, at least she assumed it would be. And it wasn't like it was a visit she was hoping to remember, either.

"Dusek's gonna take care of some of the paperwork with your uncle, alright?" the Bat said to Nadia. They went to sit down at one side of the desk and gestured for her to do the same. "We've already reviewed your case and decided to see it through. Seems like you've considered the options and sounds like you don't have much more of a choice."

"Thank you." Leon managed a grateful smile as well.

"I'm legally obligated to tell you that this does have the opportunity for extreme side effects. First of all, cutting a string of spirits is permanent—there's no taking it back." The Bat went through it all without a change in tone, like he was just repeating things out of a textbook. "You've got a… strong connection to your spirit, right? You're probably going to be on the higher end of 'mild,' though it's unpredictable, so it could also be better or worse. But as with any string being cut, there are other side effects including, but not limited to, severe illness, possible development of physical disabilities, and even death. Do you both understand that?"

"I know," Nadia confirmed with a confident nod. She ignored the voice that cursed her for it.
Leon mumbled something that showed he knew it as well.

"I don't think the possible consequences can be stressed enough," the Vulture said. "The effects of this could possibly last for several weeks or months, in the worst of cases. I don't think you said you were around here in your letter. Do you have a place to stay for that long? And the money to pay for any medical expenses?"

"Yes. Suffice to say a friend has given me enough to cover all of it and is willing to give more if we need it," Leon said. It was clear to Nadia, at least, that he considered it all Enuolare's attempt of helping—the safest extent of help she could give, in fact.

The Bat gestured to the door. "Great, now Dusek, if you and the adult could get that in writing? I'll handle everything here."

Leon looked right at Nadia. "I'll be right back, alright?"

"I mean, we can't do too much without you," the Bat remarked. "It gives you both some time to back out."

"I'm not backing out," Nadia said confidently. "No matter what happens."


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