Point of View: Virgil, First Person
Timeline: Present Day

"W-Waitwaitwait," I stammered, unconsciously rising to my feet - fingers pressed harshly against my temples.  "You can bring Roman back? I - I d-d-don't - how?" I pleaded, already feeling the familiar burn of tears behind my eyes.

Fairy Godmother didn't say anything for a moment, merely setting her tea cup on the glass and gold coffee table. 

"A-And if you c-c-can bring R-Roman b-back, why haven't you d-done it already?" I continued, noticing the way her lips pressed tightly together - Roman did the same when he was worried...

Fairy Godmother sighed, undoing the clasp of her periwinkle cloak and waved her hand, the cloak taking it up itself to hang itself on a hook nearby the door, leaving Fairy Godmother in her gold-sparkly shirt.  She waved her hand again, and the shirt changed in the blink of an eye to a simple white button up with a three-quarter sleeve - pink bowtie still in place, but now a simple light pink.

Fairy Godmother ran a hand through her white hair before letting on one final sigh, leaning back against the white arm of the couch.  "Yes," she admitted.  "It's possible.  However," she admitted.  "It's not going to be easy, if you decide you want to at all."

I frowned, crossing my arms stubbornly over my chest.  What did she mean by that?  "Why would I NOT want to bring him back?" I said, reseating myself back on the couch - eyes narrowing suspiciously.

I swear if she lied -

"Well it's still bringing someone back from the dead," she admitted.  "If it was easy, everyone would do it."

... Touche.

"What do I have to do?"

"You have to understand," Fairy Godmother continued, light eyes filling with concern.  "I know that you want to bring him back, love, but perhaps that isn't what's best for Roman."

"He's dead.  How could this possibly get any worse?" I all but snarled at her, starting to get annoyed.

Fairy Godmother raised her eyebrows at my snarky attitude.  I didn't care, she just told me that she could bring him back and then told me it might but be the best idea!  What was wrong with her?!

"I can see why Roman loves you," she dodged, grabbing herself a another stupid cup of tea.  "I practically raised him, you know.  He didn't go to the Mind Palace for years - instead, he lived here with me," she explained.  "Roman is like a son to me.  And I would love absolutely nothing more than to have him close to me, love.  Do you really think that I would tell you this is if I genuine wasn't concerned about the repressions?"

"... What... repressions?" I asked tentatively.

Fairy Godmother waved her hands, starting to explain.  "Sides aren't like humans, love.  When sides die... it... a works a little differently."

" ... What the heck does that mean?"

"I said that you can bring Roman back - and it's true, love.  There are two ways to bring Roman back," she continued, holding up two fingers.  "The first way, I can bring him back myself.  But... there's a price."

I tensed at that.  "What kind of price?"

Fairy Godmother's eyes dropped at that, hands resting neatly on her lap. "It wouldn't be so much as bringing Roman back to life as much as... trading his soul for someone who's soul is equal to his."

"Oh," I squeaked out, feeling the color drain from my face.  "That means... trading my life... for his."

Fairy Godmother nodded slowly, hesitantly waiting for my reaction.

"I - I'll do it," I said quietly.  "I - It should be me, it's only fair that I t-trade my life for his."

I wasn't sure who I was trying to convince that this was the right call.

"There is... something else to consider," Fairy Godmother said.  "It's... an uncertainty, at best, but if I'm right... then we would have to consider the second option."

I blinked at her.  What was there left to consider? It should be a simple trade, my life for his.  And I was willing.  What else could go wrong?

"Roman's complex," she said finally.  "If... If this works, and Roman finds out that the person he loves is dead - and gave his LIFE for his... then his heart would break again and then -"

"-we're both dead," I finished for her, hands falling into my lap and lying there limply as I processed what she said.

"I could be wrong, love, and he could come back without his complex," Fairy Godmother admitted, leaning forward and placing a gentle hand over mine, eyes soft.  "But I don't think we can afford to be wrong."

I sighed, shaking my hand and letting my hands fall over my eyes.  Of course this couldn't be so easy.

"What about the second way? You mention that there were two ways," I remembered.

Fairy Godmother hesitated, eyes flickering momentarily to the floor as she shifted on the couch.  "We have to get some help... from Thomas," she admitted.

It took me a moment to process this before I adjusted, yanking my sleeves back over my hands.  "What does Thomas have to do with any of this? If he can get hurt in the process of... I - I won't ask him to help bring Roman back," I said, tugging on my sleeves again, and shifting.

"Oh no, love," Fairy Godmother said, reaching forward and giving my shoulder a reassuring squeeze and a bright smile.  "Thomas would be fine, dearie.  Besides he wouldn't be doing this on his own, he'd... have some help," she finished, forcing a smile.

I crossed my arms.  "Help from what?"

Fairy Godmother hesitated, clearly thinking of how to explain what she meant.  "I guess they are a what for you, love, but really they're more of a... who," she explained.

"Well then who?"

"... the Imagination."

I pressed both hands against my temples.  I didn't want to even guess how stressed out I looked.  I closed my eyes taking a deep breath.  "Explain.  Please.  Now."

Fairy Godmother handed me so green tea, and I finally accepted, taking tiny sips while she started to explain.

"The Imagination is more than a place, love.  They are as much as a part of Thomas as you and me, and they are as much of a person as you or me."

I sipped my tea, thinking.  "They.... as in multiple people... or as in someone who is non binary?" I asked.

Fairy Godmother gave me a smile and I could tell I'd asked a good question.  "Both," she explained.  "There are two of them, yes.  One is in charge of the Light Side of Imagination - or in your terms just the Imagination - and the other is in charge of the Dark Side of the Imagination.  However," she continued.  "Both beings are non binary."

"... Who are they?  And why am I finding out about them now?"

Fairy Godmother shrugged, leaning back on the arm of the couch again, casually sipping another cup of tea.  "Not many people know about them, love.  They like to keep to themselves a lot."

I crossed my arms.  "How do you know them?"

"Well, love," Fairy Godmother admitted.  "I'm really only on good terms with one of them - the Light Imagination, Iridescence.  Iris, for short," Fairy Godmother explained.  "Poor thing, Roman and them work so hard - "

"Wait - Roman knows about them? And he didn't tell me?" How much was Roman still managing to hide from me?

"Well of course," Fairy Godmother explained.  "Iris is practically his parent - almost all of Roman's powers come from them.  I might've cared for him as a child, but Iris literally gave a piece of themself to Roman - which is why we need their help... to bring Roman back.  As for why he didn't tell, perhaps he thought it shouldn't matter - he rarely talks to them since they're both so busy," Fairy Godmother finished.

I ran a hand through my hair, noticing that my hand was shaking slightly.  Gosh, this was - was so much to process -

Breathe, just breathe.

I took a deep breath.  "O-Okay," I said finally.  "What about the other one? The Dark Side of the Imagination? What about them?"

Fairy Godmother's eyes dropped again, lips pressing tightly together.  "They are Luminescence, Luma for short.  They're Iris's sibling - their twin.  But... they are... not exactly... the... most... helpful?" Fairy Godmother ended on what sounded like it was more of a question.

"What's up with them?"

Fairy Godmother sighed.  "Luma.. tends to follow their own agenda.  And... they are a bit careless, at times," she squeaked out, not looking at me.  It was almost as if they were trying not too... mean?  Oh geez, I don't have time for this.  Roman doesn't have time for this.

"... So?" I crossed my arms stubbornly over my chest.  Perhaps this will coax the truth out of her.  "So they don't think things through? Why should they not be involved? We could use all the help we can get."

Fairy Godmother set her teacup on the table, hand visibly shaking. "Virgil - please, please - whatever you do: avoid them for as long as you can.  They are obsessed - obsessed - with gaining power, power and control.  They are extremely dangerous.  Chances are you are already on their hit list, in fact, just by being a Dark Side," Fairy Godmother's eyes were big and terrified.

If something terrified her...

How scared should I be?

"But enough of that, love," Fairy Godmother said.  "Right now, let's focus on getting Roman back - okay, love?"

It wasn't much of a question - but then again, that wasn't much of a smile she was giving me either, making me nod for now.

"Lovely," she said.  "Now let's talk about how to get your boyfriend back."

____________________
...
Hello :3
Sorry I've been so inconsistent with updates lately *hands out cookies for forgiveness* 

Um... So... I kinda just realized that I never really told you guys... but as least as of right now...

This book will be the last book in the Why I Run Series.

I'm still going to be writing Prinxiety even after this book ends by the way - pfft don't be crazy XP

And who knows? Maybe I'll change my mind if enough of you guys want me to write one more.  But for right now... this is the end :)

But don't worry, we're still quite a way from the ending so no worries (yet) :3

- Max :)