The Dark Before The Light

"Let's sort through it all once our dedicated cleaner has finished his task inside," Acacia replied, her gaze returning to the sky for a moment.

"Sounds like a plan," Kel agreed with a nod.

Acacia's gaze drifted to the street, where the protective wall had been extended even further, now featuring makeshift ladders leaning against it. She observed a group of beast-men carefully maneuvering a raphat, a large, slug-like creature, as it spat a sticky substance into a bowl. They were using this natural adhesive to secure various structures. On the opposite side, others were holding up skinned carcasses, likely provisions for Kel's impromptu barbecue.

The rhythmic swish of a broom filled the air as Edwin began his task. A collective retreat ensued as he diligently swept and pushed all the accumulated dust and grime out of the building, methodically clearing each room and herding the debris towards the exit. Thirty arduous minutes later, a dishevelled Edwin emerged, pulling a dust-covered shirt away from his face with a dramatic flourish.

"Never. Again," he declared, his voice hoarse.

"You did a surprisingly thorough job, though," Bella commented, earning a low grumble from him.

"Alright, back inside for the fashion show!" Kel announced, gathering the pile of salvaged clothes and heading back into the marginally cleaner building. He dropped the clothes in a corner and began sifting through the shirts, holding them up for inspection as everyone settled onto the floor, with Bella claiming the sole available chair. A round of sartorial judgment commenced, with Kel tossing garments to anyone who expressed interest.

"Utterly dreadful. Next!" Edwin wheezed between pants.

"I actually like that one. It's kind of cute," Acacia commented, holding up a faded blue tunic.

"Acceptable," Jahir offered neutrally.

After a flurry of fabric and opinions, only a few items remained. "Since we've all made our selections, I shall now bestow the remaining treasures upon the masses!" Kel declared, gathering the leftover clothes and heading towards the entrance, his voice booming as he stepped outside. "Hear ye, hear ye! Free clothing! Not exactly haute couture, but infinitely better than sporting your birthday suit!"

"That man is utterly unhinged," Jahir muttered, pinching the bridge of his nose as a brief flurry of shouts and activity erupted outside before quickly subsiding, and a smug-looking Kel re-entered.

"Clothing distribution: complete!" Kel announced, crossing his arms with a flourish.

"Alright, decorations it is. Given our limited resources, let's focus on rearranging the rooms," Acacia suggested, surveying their temporary abode. "We have a total of three bedrooms, one kitchen, and a living room. Elric has already claimed one of the bedrooms." She looked at Bella.

"Well, we can do it like the good old days," Bella mused. "The guys can take one bedroom, and the girls can have the other. Kel, you can work your magic in the kitchen, and the living room is pretty bare, so there's not much to do there."

"You heard the boss!" Kel exclaimed, stretching his arms wide before heading towards the kitchen. "I—"

"Bed. Mine," Edwin declared instantly, cutting Kel off mid-sentence.

"That's so unfair!" Kel gasped, his face aghast, but Edwin merely smirked, already strolling towards one of the bedrooms with Maximus and their meagre collection of clothes.

"Let's check out the second bedroom," Acacia said, nodding towards a doorway. Bella pushed herself up with her crutches, and Acacia gathered their clothes, following her into the room. It was sparsely furnished with a small bed and a window with a cracked pane. Bella settled onto the bed with a sigh.

"It's not terrible," Bella conceded.

"No," Acacia agreed, placing their clothes on the bed. She then wandered into the attached bathroom. A few tenacious weeds sprouted from the corners, and it contained a stained toilet and a rusty shower. She emerged, a slight frown on her face, and sat down on the edge of the bed beside Bella.

"Have you ever been in love before?" Bella asked her question seemingly out of the blue.

"That's… rather abrupt," Acacia replied, raising an eyebrow. She stretched out on the bed, feeling Behemoth shift comfortably on her arm.

"But it's not an answer," Bella countered, her gaze intent.

"Well, no, I haven't," Acacia admitted. "Though I did have a ridiculous crush on a celebrity once. He was a musician, and teenage me thought he was incredibly handsome." She shrugged, a faint smile touching her lips.

"I was hoping you had," Bella said softly. "Maybe then I'd be able to figure out some things I'm struggling with."

"If this is about Elric," Acacia said, her tone becoming more serious, "just remember all the hurt he caused. He manipulated everyone, and we lost someone because of his actions. If you keep dwelling on the good moments, you'll blind yourself to the damage he inflicted."

"I know, logically, that he didn't truly love me," Bella said, her voice soft with a lingering sadness. She lay back on the bed with a sigh. "It's just… difficult to erase everything so easily like it never even happened."

"Maybe you should talk to him," Acacia suggested, her eyes still closed. "Seek some closure, voice your feelings. Perhaps you'll find the answers you're searching for in that conversation."

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"Hmm. I hope so," Bella murmured. After a moment of silence, she added, "You've changed too, you know. You look quite different from when we first found you."

"Different?" Acacia opened her eyes, tapping a finger thoughtfully on the bed.

"Yeah. You used to look much younger. You're taller now, and it's only been… a few months since we found you, right? Even your face seems different," Bella observed, her gaze scrutinizing.

"I hadn't noticed," Acacia replied, glancing down at Behemoth curled on her arm. 'Maybe I'm growing rapidly because my body was in a coma for three years?'

'It's plausible. Your physical growth likely paused due to our deep connection during that time,' Daemonis confirmed.

"And I guess you still have that faraway look sometimes," Bella continued, "like you're lost in thought, thinking about something really intense." Acacia stiffened slightly.

'Blast it. I didn't realize it was so obvious when I'm having a mental conversation with Daemonis,' Acacia groaned inwardly.

"You've changed too, Bella," Acacia said, smoothly steering the conversation away from her internal musings. "Everyone is, in their own way. We're all adapting as best we can to this… new reality."

The girls settled into a comfortable silence on the bed, while the guys busied themselves in their room. Kel took charge of the meagre kitchen; his efforts were limited to arranging the scavenged canned goods. As the afternoon wore on, a palpable sense of anticipation filled the air. People emerged, carrying makeshift iron rakes and bowls, their expressions surprisingly cheerful. A diverse gathering of ordinary individuals and beast-men congregated outside.

Kel was already the centre of attention, his innate ability conjuring a lively fire, the roasting meat sending savoury aromas into the air, eliciting cheers from the growing crowd. Maximus, with his characteristic strength, effortlessly arranged rough-hewn benches in a large circle around the crackling flames. Children darted about, their laughter echoing in the twilight. Edwin, now clad in a simple tank top and sweatpants, sat beside a beaming Fafea, already immersed in conversation.

Acacia remained in the bedroom, examining the top and pants she had chosen to wear. A frown creased her brow as she considered the impracticality of the top, which uncomfortably pressed her wings against her back.

'Daemonis,' she thought, pulling the top off with a frustrated groan.

'Stop your incessant whining,' he huffed in her mind. Instantly, an exact replica of the top shimmered into existence before her eyes, the only difference being a carefully crafted cut-out in the back, perfectly accommodating her wings.

A satisfied smile touched Acacia's lips as she tossed the ill-fitting top onto the bed and tugged her wings over her shoulders. Just then, Bella's impatient voice echoed from the living room.

"Acacia! Hurry up in there!"

"Coming!" Acacia called back, quickly leaving the room. Behemoth, sensing her movement, crawled from her arm to her neck, settling comfortably around it like a living scarf. She emerged to find Jahir and Bella waiting, and the trio stepped out of the building, each sporting their newly acquired attire. They joined the bustling crowd and found a spot to sit together. Across from them, Chausse, Barachiel, and Eskel were engaged in conversation. Poppy, accompanied by Jia and a small group of children, continued their energetic games. Henry sat with Tosic, a rare smile gracing his lips. The atmosphere was lively and cheerful, punctuated by the beginnings of communal singing.

"It's so loud," Edwin remarked, approaching them with Fafea. "Almost reminds me of Lalan." They each held two bowls, offering one to Acacia and Bella.

"I'll go get ours!" Fafea chirped, her eyes bright, before hurrying off. Edwin settled down beside them.

Acacia dug into her food with gusto. It's been ages since I've allowed myself to eat like this, she thought contentedly.

"Almost feels… normal," Bella chuckled, a genuine smile on her face. Maximus grunted in agreement, his mouth already full.

"Oh, Bella," Edwin interjected, his curiosity piqued. "Tell me, what's your middle name?"

"Why is that suddenly necessary?" Bella asked, taking a bite of her food, a hint of suspicion in her tone.

"It's a custom in Lalan," Edwin explained with an exaggerated sigh. "Just tell me yours, and I'll tell you mine. A fair exchange, wouldn't you say?"

"Lucia," Bella conceded.

"Mine's Kanar. Don't you forget it," Edwin declared. Just then, Fafea returned, beaming, with two more bowls. She handed one to Edwin before settling down beside him.

Acacia's gaze was drawn to the flickering fire in the centre of the gathering, the crackling flames casting a warm, yellowish glow on the faces surrounding it. She could hear Kel's boisterous voice nearby, orchestrating the roasting of more meat with the help of a few others. Edwin and Fafea were now conversing animatedly in their melodic native tongue.

"Hello, friends!" Vincent greeted them, approaching with a wide, cheerful smile. "The weather is absolutely glorious today, wouldn't you agree?"

Acacia continued to stare at him, her expression unreadable, as she tore off a piece of meat with her teeth, chewing it thoughtfully.

"We're doing well, Vincent. How about you?" Bella asked politely.

"Oh, I'm thoroughly enjoying myself! It's so wonderfully welcoming here. Thanks to all of you, everyone seems stronger and more resilient than ever. Keep up the fantastic work!" Vincent gave them a friendly wave before moving on to greet others.

He seems genuinely pleased, Acacia mused, tearing off another piece of roasted meat. She held it out to Behemoth, who swiftly snatched it from her fingers and devoured it. She fed him a few more morsels.

"It's unsettling how… normal it acts," Edwin murmured, his voice low.

"Try not to look so suspicious," Acacia whispered back, ceasing her ministrations to Behemoth.

"Fine, but it doesn't make me any less uneasy," Edwin replied, his words slightly muffled by the food in his mouth.

"Hey, guys! You look absolutely dashing!" Kel called out, waving enthusiastically from across the gathering.

"We look exactly the same as every other day!" Edwin yelled back, rolling his eyes.

Kel simply grinned and said a few words to the people around him, delegating his roasting duties before grabbing a bottle and heading towards their group. He reached their side with a flourish and popped the cork with a loud thwack, startling both Acacia and Jahir.

"Wine!" Kel announced triumphantly. "And it's not even expired yet! We have a glorious two months before this vintage turns to vinegar, ample time for a proper feast!" He smirked, lovingly rubbing the bottle, and Fafea's eyes lit up with anticipation.

'I've never actually tasted alcohol before,' Acacia thought, her gaze fixed on the dark liquid in the bottle.

"You have such wonderful friends, Sì Mala," Fafea said, licking her bottom lip, a wistful expression on her face. Edwin glanced at her blankly.

"You should have brought some cups," Bella commented.

"True enough. Let's all partake in this celebratory libation, however uncouth the method. Maximus, you have the honour of the first sip." Kel presented the bottle to Maximus, who obliged with a small taste before passing it to Jahir. Jahir followed suit, taking a measured sip and then offering it to Bella. Bella closed her eyes briefly, savouring the flavour before handing the bottle to Acacia. Acacia held the bottle, her gaze fixed on it with a moment of hesitation, before finally taking a tentative sip and then passing it to Edwin.

'It's sweet, yet has a surprising warmth… almost a spicy undertone. Not at all what I imagined,' Acacia thought, a slight wrinkle forming on her nose as she considered the unfamiliar taste.

"Why the face? Was that your first time having alcohol?" Edwin observed, holding the bottle but not taking a drink, instead offering it to a clearly eager Fafea.

"Yes," Acacia said.