No Need

Going out to explore abandoned places wasn’t out of the norm for her. She had seen many things when she was out, old houses, manors! All frozen in time, beds waiting to be used, wallpaper still remaining up or some couldn’t hold on to the wall any longer as they peel. Toys and games may litter ‌the house. Perfumes and medications resting in bathrooms, some around the master bedroom. A calming eeriness of it all as she walks among what she felt was a still photo or a time capsule you can walk into. She often took pictures to remember the time she spent exploring, writing down her thoughts on the back as she explored the area. She always wanted to stay in a house such as the ones she explores for a night, but she could never get herself to. Felt disrespectful to just welcome herself in a house, but then we have the looming reason that her safety is something to keep in mind as well.

She never took anything aside from the pictures she took and the memories. So when she was home after some time of exploring the abandoned places she holds affection to, she got a package. At this point, it’s expected for her to receive them. Part of her job is to repair and make dolls, dollhouses, toys in general and it’s not outside of the realm of possibility for her to get something randomly one day. It was the item itself that made her confused.

It was a thin package, but a heavy one. She didn’t think much of it until she opened the package. A thin brown box, opening the box, there was an item wrapped in a cloth. Removing the cloth, a tarnished silver hand mirror rests under everything. There wasn’t any note, but there was a return address. After trying to return it multiple times, it simply kept coming back. After the fifth, she just kept the mirror. It wasn’t until she was looking up where it came from, and that was when she started to struggle. She couldn’t find anything at all! Everywhere she tried to look, led to nowhere! But as she was looking where the mirror could’ve come from, she gave the mirror a new shine. Cleaning everything to look new, and admiring the designs on the back. The flowers and swirls blend beautifully.

“Do you think it might be from where you like to explore, Aya?” A good friend of hers, a familiar. Often doing his own thing, but he will be by her side if she asks. And seeing her fret over a hand mirror wasn’t something out of the ordinary. But it still wasn’t nice to see someone he cared for stress out about it, as odd as it was for him.

As of now, he lays on her bed lazily, getting up doesn’t sound appealing even if he gets to go back to his home. Although her room gave him another home, having to go back and forth isn’t the most convenient thing in the world.

“I didn’t think about that.” She said, astonished at how she couldn’t think of that before. But then, why her? She places the mirror down on her vanity to let her brain rest from the swirl of thoughts about the mirror. As much as she wanted answers, she’s just not going to get any from this mystery. It’s just how things work in her small field. “How long are you going to be gone again?” She asks as she takes some candles, salts, and other items from her cabinet. Setting them upon her dresser for the next day.

With that question, Rocco sits up from her bed. “Not that long. Just a few days. I’ll bring you something back too! We have these little things that are like your mooncakes here.” Aya perks up at the mention of the gift. “Are you going to look into the mirror when I’m gone?” She glances at the mirror and nods at the question.

“Yes. I’m curious if there is anything connected. That wouldn’t be the first time.” She mutters the last sentence under her breath as she pushes her supplies to the back of the small dresser she held her stuff in. “I’ll start tomorrow. But I do hope you enjoy your time when you go back home.” She offers a smile and he gives a smile back before hopping off of her bed.

“Thanks. I should probably start going now. But I’ll see you then. Be safe.” Walking to the window of her room and opening it, she gives him a swift, ‘you too’ as he leaves. Seeing him leave, she approaches the window. Seeing no sign of him, she closes the window.

Closing her curtains, she picks up the mirror, gazing inside the reflective surface. Her brown eyes, dark brown hair. She turns the mirror and places it down, turning around to look behind her. Reaching for the mirror, it’s still there. Something was there. She looks back at the mirror then back to where the figure was standing. She didn’t get a good look at it, but she knows something was there. Bad idea to look in the mirror. She walks back to her dresser, taking out a small sack of rosemary and placing it on a hook by her door. Placing another around her bed. And resting one over the mirror. It will be enough for the night.

Glancing at the clock, she sighs to herself. It’s late, she’s tired. And she has orders she needs to catch on, so it might be best to look over the mirror later. But she can’t exactly afford that right now. She rubs her face and groans as the more she thinks, the more she has to do. “I’ll just do it when Rocco gets back.” That way at least she can get a gauge on what she might be dealing with. She can hold whatever is in the mirror inside for a few days. She baps herself on her head lightly. “I should’ve asked him to do that before he left.” Oh, well. She sighs again as she slides on her bed, sneaking under the covers as she stretches. Her breathing draws steady as her minds thinks about threads and fabric. Closing her eyes and breathing in the scent of her room as her body relaxes from the day. Feeling the soft fabric of her sheets.

She jolts up, her head turning to the sound of something breaking. The vanity. Hand reaching under her pillow, she clings onto the small pouch of salt. Opening it as her eyes dart everywhere in the room.

“That won’t work.” Aya’s feet kick at the voice, pushing her against the corner of her room as she stares at what’s at the edge of her bed. Dead gray skin, black hair and yellow eyes that steal the light from the little light there is.

Her heart squeezes as her grip around her blanket tightens the longer she stares at what is front of her. It’s her. A doppelganger? No, they would look exactly the same then. The only difference is that there is a color difference, and that one looks more like a demon than her. Her body does before she can process the words they said, flinging the salt at the intruder. The salt bounces off and they cross their arms, raising an eyebrow at their action.

Blinking at her, she stares at whoever is in her room. They break the silence with a snicker. “What? Upset that salt can’t save you now?” Now that she thinks on it, their voice almost sounds like her too. She doesn’t know if it’s just her, but something about it is just off.

“What are you?” They frown at the aggressiveness of her tone. They know Aya is usually smarter and more respectful than that. They shrug at her question, not liking the attitude.

“What do you think?” They didn’t wait for an answer before turning around and walking to all of the dolls she has on a shelf. Looking down, her supplies. A small mess, she didn’t see a point in putting them back where they belong if they’re just going to be taken out the very next day or hour.

“That’s a mess.” They pick a paint brush and then drop it. “Have you ever thought about cleaning this?” Well yes, but she just never did. They wave their hand to dismiss the answer that was never spoken. “Have you even thought about going out? At all?” No, but she doesn’t feel like she needs to. She watches them move around her room, looking over everything with scorn in their eyes. They didn’t need to say anything for her to get the message.

“Why do you even do any of this?”

“That doesn’t matter.” Aya cuts them off from saying anything else. As much as she wants to order them to get out, it doesn’t take a genius to know that won’t work. And going to sleep won’t do anything.

She doesn’t have to see them rolling their eyes at her comment. Even with their back turned. Stepping out of her bed, to her supplies sprawled out on the table. “Aya, why do you even dabble in,” They motion to the room. “all of this?”

If she can just find the item to seal it away,

She gasps, her body jerks back from the table she was at. “Do you really think it’ll be that easy to get rid of me? Running away like you do with everything else.” Aya looks back at the table, back at them, and throws herself. Hand reaching for the bottle, they push her away with a harsh force. They look over to the table, grabbing the bottle and throwing it across the room, shattering and sprinkling the floor. “You know what? I’ll just visit later. Clearly someone’s unstable.” Aya glares at the other and they scoff at her expression. They turn on their heel, and leave through the same window Rocco went through. Only this time they didn’t need to even move the curtains.

She didn't move, staring at the window until the sun showed itself. Her projects will have to wait. Rubbing her eyes, she forces herself to stand. She doesn’t have to worry now, at least she hopes so. The cabinet. It should have something. Dragging her feet across the floor, she reaches for the handle, forcing it to open. She picks the first bottle she sees.

Sealing away evil shouldn’t be so hard. She’s done it before, even without her familiar, this shouldn’t be too difficult compared to what she had to seal away before. But the bottle is just the start, a box to act as a shield will make it harder for them. And then she can always burry it far away. Ok, plan. Enchant the bottle, enchant the box, and just take them away. Just follow the steps, and everything will be ok. She’ll be able to sleep again.

Going through the strongest enchantments she can remember, carrying each step with caution and precision. Covering anything she can, every wall, every exposed flooring, and under everything she can reach without help.

And wait until night.

Stay under the covers and wait for them to return. They have a presence, it’s too recognizable. Maybe if they close their eyes, and try to get some rest? They never said they will visit tonight. But it could be. Or maybe they’re waiting for when they sleep? But they never came that night. Or the next night. Or the next. A week, almost. When they were in their bed, closing their eyes and waiting to sleep. A knock on the wall jolts her up, clutching the bottle in her hands, she doesn’t move. “I know you’re awake.”

“Go away then, I’m trying to sleep.” She brings the blanket to cover her eyes, not wanting to see them, but she knows she has to look at them eventually. “Can you please just leave me alone?” They kept away this long. Why now? For a moment, she thought that maybe they ran off to be on their own.

“No. You got lucky I got busy. We still need to go over a few things. Where is he anyways?” He? Wait, they’re probably talking about Rocco. But he isn’t back yet, he said it will be a few days but it’s taking longer than expected. But he always comes back, he does. “Gee, I wonder why they’re not back yet.” Their voice dripping with sarcasm as they speak.

If they don’t do it now, they’ll just keep coming back. She sits up, staring down at the one who walked into their room like they owned it. Her grip on the bottle tightens as she sees the other giving her an unamused look, everything is ready. And they’re in the room, she’s surprised they didn’t see anything they did. They usually do, unless they think they can get by it. Maybe they are just that powerful? Well, there is only one way to find out. “I don’t need you.” Holding the opening of the bottle to the intruder, they look surprised at the action.

Taking a step back, they turn to run, their hand hitting the wall. They can’t leave. Moving out of her bed, holding the bottle to them, their back hitting the wall. “I don’t need you.” Her voice rising as a breeze from nowhere passes by.

“Wait!” On their right, her bed. Left, her vanity. In front is Aya. “Look, I know you don’t exactly like me, but at least let me talk-“

“No, I will not let you talk. I need you gone!” A flash of light, and a force pushes her to the floor. Looking down in her hands, she breathes out a sigh of relief. It’s gone. Pushing herself up, she walks to the box on her vanity, and throws the bottle in there, slamming the box shut and trying it for good measure. Staring down at the box, she walks back to her bed, laying herself back down. She’ll deal with it tomorrow.