The Trails of a Troubled Mind~ [PRIVATE - Mero and Utena only.]

Although I could not see for myself I turned my head towards him. "Interesting". My mind took off searching for proof of the thing I had suspected. Xavier had made me feel like I knew him for many years. Like we had been best friends. He felt familiar. My mind connected him with Utena, but they were not the same person. I sighed "I guess we'll need to find some other way to track her down".

"Yeah maybe using that spell was just no help at all. I mean is my magic really that stupid that it would detect myself as this Utena person? I mean, we're different. For one, I'm a guy and she's a girl."

I sighed, looking at Mero holding the jacket that belonged to Utena. She seemed to treasure her friend and I smiled.

"Why don't you wear her jacket? I bet it would look good on you."

I crossed my arms and awaited for her to put it on. Before long, I had also gone to the palace doors and started on my way out. I exclaimed to Mero still behind me....

"The feel of warmth should guide you to where I am. We need to get started on this mission and standing around here will do us no good. So come on!"

Clearly, I was excited for this.
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"This is my sanctum, boy. Do not touch anything, do not judge anything. And certainly do not tell anyone about this place. This is my private place I go to perform my hobbies and I would be terribly saddened if it got destroyed or taken away from me. This is my secret place, got it?"

She said bluntly as she started to make adjustments to some of the things in the lab. She'd built this place herself, set everything up and she'd be terribly angered and distraught if something, anything happened to it. She could only hope that Jace wouldn't suspect anything and from the looks of it, things seemed to be going just right. Just smoothly. She smirked.

"Yes..."

"Understood Blake. In that case I'll be extra careful in here. Do you mind if I ask what hobbies you do down here?" That level of curiosity had skyrocketed now. Just what in the world did she do down here? And how important was this place if she's very worried about the condition of the room? Maybe she was creating something here; or working on a special project.

I found his presence and followed him. I had put on the jacket and was now warm inside of it. "Wonder where Utena ended up?" I thought out loud and I caught up with Xavier.

"Me too. But I would sometimes dream of places where she might have been. She was at the palace in one of them, however that can't be. And in another she had gone to this town, this very desolate town on one side. And then there's also a very populous town that seems to be the ideal place to live. I don't know, maybe we're supposed to go there."

I thought as I walked with her. I saw her wearing the jacket and I smiled.

"You look so cute. Did I mention I got a thing for tomboys?"

I was half joking, but I winked, even though she couldn't see. I knew we would walk on and we'd figure this out eventually.

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"I like to experiment. I am a chemist, a doctor of sorts, and a physicist. I am into science and everything about it. This is the place where everything happens, the magic that is. I don't want you to touch anything, things down here happen to be case sensitive, you understand right?"

She spoke bluntly and kept making adjustments on the machine she was going to use.

"I come down here every night and sometimes even in the day to work on, what I like to call, my biggest success yet!"

She exclaimed and knew that she now had him under her control. She'd drawn him into the kind and caring person he thought her to be and the ideal life he wanted to life. For this place was nothing but an illusion itself. She smirked, the plan was finally about to work!

"Ah, I see. You are a woman of science, very interesting. Yes, I understand. Nothing will be touched here." Jace continued looking around at the various laboratory instruments and machines. Biggest success yet? "Your biggest success yet? And what is that?" His attention was on her now as he waited for an answer, if she was willing to give him one.

I laughed, "Thanks but lets put all our brain power towards finding Utena and not how I look". I thought a moment. "This town, was there a name that came to you in your dreams?"

"Well. Let me see if I can remember. The name of the town. There was some sort of description I remember receiving from an old sage of wisdom in my dream. Like an echoing voice. Telling me that the town was half life and half death. It is hidden to the eye that does not wish to believe. It was all like one big riddle. The name, I don't think there was one. He said the heart shall name the town when they arrive. And whatever they name it is where they shall stay."

I thought a bit for a moment and became completely confused.

"Mannnnn, this is getting us nowhere."

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"Sorry that's confidential buddy boy. I can't tell you that. If I did, well then it wouldn't be as exciting now would it?"

She giggled and continued making adjustments. While she wasn't all too sensitive, she was still a girl and could use her charms to make any boy her slave. As she finished making the adjustments to the machine she was using, dinner was called for. She hopped up and started to walk to the stairs.

"That's dinner, you comin' Jace?" She smiled.

"I guess you're right. Heh." He slowly smirked and then heard the call for dinner. "Of course I'm coming Blake." The smirk turned into a widened smile. This girl had him under her spell...

"Indeed. Do you remember the whereabouts of this town?" I asked him a bit annoyed with the fact we had nothing to go on.

"No, nothing. That's all I remember from the town in my dream. Maybe if we just trust ourselves, our hearts will lead us in the right direction. I'm sorry Mero, I really wish I could help more."

I placed my hand on her shoulder before briefly letting go. My touch, in retrospect, only brightened something, the fibers within the jacket. Almost sort of "re-awakening" to its power. Unbeknownst to myself and to Mero, the jacket she was wearing that, formerly belonged to Utena, was bewitched and encrusted with a certain amount of magical power left over. And subconsciously, the magic within it would lead Mero in the right direction. Suddenly the way would dawn upon her, as if trusting her instincts, her heart to lead her there. I stood there thinking while this whole transaction became reality.

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"Good because I can't eat all by myself."

She smiled and then went up the stairs to be greeted by her chef in the dining room with mostly everything set out on the table. He would be in the kitchen if they needed anything else. He was dismissed from the room with a gentle nod from Blake. She sat down and smelled the food's scented, delicious aroma.

"Mmmmmmmmm, smells good!"

Jace couldn't help but to sit down immediately and gaze upon the various cuisines. Not once did he take his eyes off of the food on the table; he was ready to chow down like a beast! "Thank you so much for this! I was starving!" The smile on his face widened as he turned towards Blake, waiting for her to be seated and begin eating.

I blinked my unseeing eyes and took off walking. "Don't worry I know where we're going".

"You do?"

I blinked and followed her. But how could she know where to go without her sight? She was blind after all. But, she could be onto something. Nonetheless, I went along with it.

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"You're welcome." She smiled and spoke as she had a mouth full of food and was chewing in the process. She continued to chew it and devour it as if she were famished and hadn't eaten for days upon end. Nonetheless, she was always thankful for a good meal. In any case after this, he'd fall right asleep. My cook knew me by now and he knew what I wished to do. If he spilled it to anyone, he'd find himself one of the subjects in my lab and that is something he never wanted. In any case, I watched him eat the food bite by bite, seeming to enjoy it.

"I love it when things fall into place. Don't you, Jace?" I asked sweetly and continued eating.

Jace was busy consuming anything in his reach. By now his mouth was covered in sauce. He looked up at Blake and chuckled, unaware of the food on his face. "Yeah, it makes things so much easier." In two minutes he was already done with the food at his end of the table. "Sorry Blake, I'm just really hungry. Hehe."

I nodded. "I know it's weird, but I feel like I know he way...if that makes any sense". I wasn't sure if he would understand what I meant but it didn't matter. I knew the way.

"Don't worry. I trust you. I feel I can trust you for some reason."

I continued to follow. Meanwhile we were walking, I tried to make conversation.

"So Mero, tell me more about Utena. Tell me, what was your relations with her? What was she like?"

I smiled.
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"Oh it's fine, I'm glad you found that so delicious Jace." She giggled and continued eating.

"Tell me something, do you feel tired?" As soon as she asked that, he did feel liek he needed to pass out. Strange how things work out?

"Heck yeah! Delicious indeed!" He couldn't raise the spoon anymore. That's it, he was done with the eating. Letting out one big yawn he started to shut his eyes a little. It wasn't of proper etiquette to sleep at the table though so he kept himself awake. "I am tired...Is there anywhere where I could sleep?"