Sneaking over the border, which is hardly ever guarded, I find myself back in blackline.

  ‘Home sweet home, huh?’

  Shaking my head, I start heading in- then I hear a quiet hum. Something… what is it?

  Wary, I quickly take cover, hiding behind a dumpster, waiting. And quietly, I hear the humming get closer… and then walk past me, a police officer with an emblem of a triangle with an eye in the middle.

  ‘Why? Why are police out here? There’s hardly enough crime on this side… was it from me using this border to get in and out? What’s with the badge?’

  Shaking my head, I see he’s gone now, so I waste no time in slipping around the garbage and escaping the border, making my way down to the cafe.

  ‘And why did it feel like that badge was following me?’

  Vaulting over a fence, I shake my head. No point in wasting thoughts on some cop.

  “So, how does this work?”

  Feeling Oraxia shift in my bag, the weight oddly comforting, she speaks into my mind. “We go near the cafe, out of sight. Can’t let anyone intrude on the process. Then we douse ourselves in the goblet’s liquid, and I merge our souls. You just stay still and pick a good spot.”

  Nodding a bit to myself, I begin to wonder how the others will react. Will they be proud? Be surprised? Be upset?

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  Reaching the alley of the shop, I shut the gates leading to it and sit against a wall. ‘Now's not the time, Yunaria.’

  “Ready, now what?”

  Oraxia climbs out of my bag, sitting in my lap, while I grab the goblet. “You know already, time to let me work.”

  Nodding, I take a deep breath, feeling the lattice down my body, my tail swaying behind me, my ears twitching and picking up all the many sounds of the road and city…

  Before pouring it over us, the copper smelling, sticky liquid flowing over our bodies like water, and clinging to our souls like glue.

  And I can feel it, even before she starts weaving, our souls are being melted down like iron, but still holding a rough shape.

  As Oraxia pulls out the shadows and weaves them, I can feel it… it’s not painful like when Mira hurt us, or when I woke up from having my soul torn apart… no, this is more of a heavy warmth. A numbness across my body and senses.

  I can hear and smell, but the cities sounds are blending together, muffled. It’s… odd. Even my vision is blurring…

  Closing my eyes and leaning back, I focus on the strange sensations. Oraxia pulling and kneading our souls, like dough to go in the oven. Working them together, I slowly feel as if it’s my hands kneading the souls instead.

  I know it isn’t, but it’s truly strange. Like they’re a little… tacky as they’re worked, but only sticking when pressed down. So they can be moved until our emotions line up, then pressed together.

  Then moved more, until the sensation of touch is lined a little more perfectly, and what’s correct can be fused into one with a simple pressure, locking into place while the rest is still liquid.

  ‘Yuna, you’re doing good. Just relax like that.’

  ‘Thanks… I knew that… or already did.’

  I feel what must be a smile from her, or something akin to it. ‘Yeah, I know, just used to telling you.’

  This must be what four dimensions is like, huh? Feeling through your soul? Such a weird thought.

  I’m so lost in it… I don’t notice the figures at the end of the alley.