William was now sitting at the edge of the cliff with a soft smile, waiting impatiently.
His appearance had drastically changed back yet again, but he had a feeling it would remain this way from now on.
His eyes were now a deep and clear blue that held a mesmerizing mix of a deep purple at its darkest edges. His pupils had an oval shaped that contrasted with Blue Berry's sharp, almond ones. He was wearing a white shirt and Blue Berry's long soft-blue cape that kept him nice and warm. He was now wearing dark gloves, like his new master's, and long, dark pants where his legs practically swum in.
But the most striking change was his hair.
A gentle blue dust clung to the tips of his brown hair, just like the soft curls that rested against the nape of his neck.
Blue Berry was long gone. She had disappeared into the mirror like a ghost.
''You want me to be your apprentice?'' William had asked when she was still there.
She nodded with a smile and softly took his hand to help him up.
''Yes, and it'll be easier for me to communicate with you and the people from outside if I give you my blessing.'' She laughed nervously, her other hand scratching the back of her neck.
William blinked. Had he heard her right?
Blue Berry's watched started ringing like an alarm clock would before she turned it off.
''It's pretty complicated…'' her gaze dropped sideways onto the mirror. ''That mirror has been stuck in Moon's Church for a while, you see.'' She took a deep breath, already lost in her own explanation. ''And it's connected to Moon's personalities. When one of us is active, all the other ones can be connected to by this mirror. We can't get us out from that mirror. It would require an immense amount of magic that I'm not even sure that Adam, Capricorn or even me could be able to use but you…''
Her eyes dart back to his.
''You somehow managed to permit me to use my powers outside of the mirror even though I was stuck in it. It made me able to make the mirror fly here and—'' she cut herself off. Awe, perhaps even admiration glinted in her eyes as she whispered. ''You're the one who gave me the strength to break free.''
She clasps her hands around his and smiles.
''You aren't as weak as you think you are, William! Your powers are asleep! With my blessing, I could help you break those chains that hold you back and make you stronger than ever! So, what do you think? Do you want to be my apprentice?''
William was just staring at her the whole time.
His powers were asleep?
He was actually strong?
His control over his powers wasn't bad, the problem wasn't even him the whole time—?!
He wanted to explode right this instant.
All the pain he had gone through was basically for nothing, but at least now he knows he can be strong, so there's that.
He sighed heavily and slowly nodded with a tired smile.
''Sure. As long as you don't try to manipulate me like the others.'' He said evenly.
Blue Berry gasped, offended and rested a gloved hand on her chest as if he had thrown a dagger into her heart.
''Why would I ever do that?'' Then she smiles playfully and flicks his nose. ''The only thing I'll want from you is for you to be my messenger. If you become my apprentice, I'll give you my blessing, which will permit me to speak to you directly by minds.''
William's eyes nearly pop out of their sockets.
Was she for real?
''Really?''
Blue nodded with a light laugh.
''Yup! And even better than just that: I won't need to be here if I communicate with you in a distance. All you'll have to do is go back to the others so that them and I can stay in contact! But please keep the mirror and hide it somewhere safe. We never know. Oh, and one more thing: don't let them know about the mirror. Don't even tell Moon nor the others that you found it.''
William sighed at the memory of his conversation with Blue Berry.
Shortly after it, she had given him her blessing and was gone back into the mirror. She left behind her the shirt he was currently wearing, a tie and the dark gloves.
He had no intention of going back to the others. Especially after what he told Leyla…
'Maybe they are dead to me.'
The words echo in his skull.
He had been harsh to her for no reason.
…
Well, at least she probably saw none.
He knew he'd have to go back and beg her for forgiveness.
He took a deep breath and knocked at his temple.
''Umm… miss Blue? I'm ready. Where are the others?''
After some time of pure and awkward silence, William assumed that it hadn't worked, so, he tried again.
''Miss Blue—?''
Before he could finish his sentence, a crystal ball appeared in his lap. His pupils dilated as he stared at the endless galaxies swimming inside of it.
Then, Blue Berry's voice reached his ears, or more precisely, his mind.
« This is my crystal ball. It's how I managed to follow you and the others. It can find anyone in any place they are. All you have to do is think about that person and press your palm into it. »
William's eyes widened.
He took off his glove and pressed his palm into the ball.
Une filled his gaze when the crystal ball zoomed in on one of the galaxies to reveal Cross Bourg. He knew that place, and it wasn't far from here.
He grinned like a little boy. Perfect.
His gaze then locked onto the giant robot that threw lasers and the new brunette that talked naturally to Adam.
'It must be another one of Moonlight's personalities.' He thought.
His gaze travelled down the young woman's strikingly beautiful, mismatched eyes, even her lashes were black and white coded. Her her left eye, with black iris, white pupil and white sclera had black lashes.
While her right eye, with white iris, black pupil and black sclera with white rings had white lashes.
This girl was a contradiction herself.
From the interactions he was witnessing, that was the only word that described her.
Sweet, but terrifyingly powerful even without using her powers.
Beautiful, but trying everything to hide it.
Mysterious, yet oddly open.
Strict, but never cruel.
Good and bad.
Black and white.
But never grey.
He shook the thoughts away and stared back at the robot instead. Maybe he could help? And find out how strong he became?
Maybe he could help them fight the robot to engage the conversation?
Yeah, it sounded like a good plan.
A very good plan.
He was practically bouncing on the balls of his feet when he stood up and spoke excitedly.
''Miss Blue! How can I get there quickly?''
After some time, the voice comes back.
« You could, in theory, cast a spell to teleport there, but I do not think it's a good idea… especially because of your rank. » she hums in thought and, before he could speak back up, thin air around his wrist turned into a silver watch. « You should be able to stop time as long as you press onto the needle of the watch I just gave you. »
William almost whined at that.
''But it's going to take forever—!''
« Heh, I knew you'd say that. But no worries, when you'll be in that state, it will be almost impossible for you to get tired. You'll be able to run in a constant speed without breaking a sweat! » she said smugly.
The reason she was so proud of that fact was because she was the creator of those watches.
« Though it's not really practical in combat… »
William's eyes were blank for a moment, before lighting up like twin stars.
''So, I'll be fast, and it will take only one second to the people affected by it?''
« Exactly. »
He almost jumped with joy and pressed onto the needle. The mirror being held by his free arm.
And then? He was off to Cross Bourg.
———
William had been running for almost 10 minutes, but it felt like he had been running for only 1. The stamina Coco taught him to use, and Blue Berry's watch really paid off.
His gaze locked onto the city and the giant robot that was about to throw a punch at a mother and her children.
He gently hid the mirror in an alley and let it rest against one of the brick walls.
He sprinted up to them and pushed them aside with one arm, the other one occupied by the watch.
Now he understood what Blue Berry meant by 'not practical in combat'.
Then he brought them all to safety, his gaze locked onto the frozen girl he had seen earlier: Vanilla.
When he arrived in front of them, William took off his finger from the needle and bowed at her.
''Greetings, dear miss, I'm William.'' He threw a sharp glare at Adam. ''And he already knows who I am.
Adam would've rolled his eyes if he wasn't so surprised at William's appearance.
''You've met Blue Berry?'' He whispers.
Vanilla raised an eyebrow and threw a questioning glance at Adam.
''Haven't you?''
Adam slowly shakes his head.
''Not recently, at least.''
That throws Vanilla completely off.
Literally.
She falls on the ground with a thud.
Adam gently helped her back up, but she seemed to not like it. At least, that's what the sharp sting at his rib told him, because of her elbow-jab.
She turned back to William.
''You mean to tell me you met Blue Berry when she wasn't even out?''
William remembered Blue's words.
'Don't let them know about the mirror.'
He started sweating as he laughed nervously.
''I— I met her in my sleep—!''
Vanilla squints her eyes at him.
It was obvious he was lying…
But she shrugged it off. Blue Berry still was The Dream Goddess, and she gave him her blessing, so she trusted that.
Then, Adam's eye twitched.
''You know who we're talking about?''
Vanilla's head snaps at William at Adam's words. He was right…
William just raised an eyebrow and smiled through the discomfort.
''What do you mean?
-Blue Berry hates that name. Or at least, she doesn't ask to be named that. She asks everyone to get called 'Myrtille'.'' Adam answers suspiciously.
William wanted to get swallowed by the ground. He remembered her mentioning that name, BUT HE DIDN'T KNOW IT WAS GOING TO BE THAT IMPORTANT.
'Holy pressure.'
He cleared his throat and loosened his tie.
''Well, she told me that name while grumbling, so…''
Both blinked at him with crossed arms.
No one believed that.
Just as William was about to panic further, a blond figure crashed into his chest to hug him tightly.
He smiled down at Leyla and returned the hug.
''You don't hate me?'' He asked softly.
Leyla shook her head against his chest and looked back up at him.
''Why would I ever hate you? You're just a little spoiled sometimes, but it's fine.''
William arched an eyebrow.
He was many things. But 'spoiled' was far from them.
''What?''
She was about to explain herself when a giant, metallic fist hit the floor next to them.
Vanilla and Adam immediately went into a fighting stance as she jumped in front of the two siblings protectively.
''Looks like we still have a giant can to take care of…''