I blanked out. As soon as I stepped out into the dazzling white light, I blanked out. I was blinded by the sight of so many faces, so many bodies, all huddled in the People’s Court. All of them dead silent. You could hear the faint noise of a mother trying to soothe her crying baby and the sound of a man coughing.

One question floated through everyone’s minds then, making me feel small and insignificant in their eyes: This is her?

Yes. I am. I am and I will be. I’m not some majestic being. I’m not dignified. I’m not expecting them to embrace the idea of me being the Seeress of Exo so easily. But I’m the Seeress of Exo second and an Exotian first. As an Exotian, I refuse to back down so easily.

I'll protect them with the Guardians that stood by my side. To my right stood Suho, Baekhyun, Chanyeol, D.O, Kai, and Sehun; their prowess and strength never seemed so clear to me as the sun shone through the glass ceiling high above us. To my left were Kris, Xiumin, Luhan’s orb, Lay, Chen, and Tao; a serene sense of calm exuded off them like the tranquil blue of the moon. I trusted them so much as I stood there on display, I burst into tears before I had said a single word.

I didn’t realize it until I felt the cool sensation of water gathering and dripping down from my chin. Through them, words that were not the ones I had rehearsed all night came flowing from my lips.

“Hello, my fellow Exotians. Seeing you all here on this bright and sunny morning is a sight I never thought I would see. Not ever. Not in my entire life. Yet, here we are. Here we all are, together. And together is what I hope we will stay. Together, as each new morning sun peeks through the clouds. Together, even if the nights are long and hazardous and the moon seems so far out of sight. Together, whether we are smiling or crying,”

A single laugh bubbled out of my throat and it lingered there. The sound of my laugh lingered in the large audience hall. It lingered on the faces of others, slight smiles starting to spread across the faces of the crowd slowly. It lingered in their eyes, the tension that had seemed to be spread so thickly earlier dissipating as though it were never there. But, most of all, it lingered in their thoughts, as I no longer heard a single question in their minds. Instead, I heard something that caused my tears to continue, unceasing in their flow as though I were a broken fountain.

I heard, Don’t cry, you’ll make me cry too. And Together in mind and spirit? For some reason, I like the sound of that. And She’s not like the Seeresses of times past. And This is her. This is our Seeress.

I continued, driven on by the latter of the thoughts I heard circulating through the crowd, “And together, we will strive no matter what awaits us in the future. We will greet each day together. And as your Seeress, the Seeress of Exo, but as first and foremost an Exotian, I will do everything in my ability to make it so.”

Only then did I notice the group coated in dusted black standing to the far right of the People’s Court: a group of Council members. I heard a voice picking at me. Plucking at my entire being as though I were an equation to be solved and shelved right after--never to be inquired upon again.

How apt of you to go for such an approach as this. To give the people a sense that their Seeress is just like them. A sense of commonality. Giving them hope that they are somehow able to connect with her. But this ability you speak of; will it live up to the expectations they have for you now?

My next words were directed towards the one who stood admist the shrouded group: the Council’s representative I had spoken to yesterday. Which meant that the man that stood in front of him was the one whose thoughts he had transmitted to me. Why not I send some back?

“I’m not alone in my venture. I’m not alone because I have all of Exo Planet here to guide me as I guide her. And you have me in return. You have me and the Guardians at your side. Live as you would normally. Live as though nothing has changed. But know that we are one. Live in the security of knowing you are not alone. Thank you.”

I bowed. I bowed until I felt my muscles start to ache, my body unable to bend down any lower--yet another unprecedented, unexpected action I made that day. As I heard silence in reply to my gesture, I rose upwards again. In front of me was a sight that served as a new reservoir for my tears. The entire crowd, every single person, was bowing back at me.

“Thank you,” I said until my voice cracked.

“I am proud of you, your highness. You did well.”

“Did I?” I questioned the floating orb that hung deftly in my room, even though I knew hearing his, hearing Luhan’s, words of approval again wouldn’t change them. I just had to be sure. I just had to be sure this was all happening. That this was all real.

“Yes, your highness. You did.” His resolute answer calmed my nerves, though still, I could not shake the feeling of uneasiness in the pit of my stomach. The stinging of my cheeks where my tears once fell.

“Everyone bowed to me.” I stated, still in a state of awe. I felt pride to be the Seeress of Exo. Immense pride as they all, every Exotian who stood there in front of me, bowed to me. And, through that gesture, they showed their trust in me.

“I felt it,” I continued, “I know it sounds cheesy and overly sentimental and all that but I really felt it. I felt like the words that I spoke to them, that I wished to be true, became true. That we, you and me and the other Guardians and all of the Exotians on Exo planet, became one.” He said nothing, causing me to laugh at how picturesquely I was painting it all. But I couldn’t help the pride that coursed through me. “It’s silly, I know.”

“It’s not silly.” Luhan immediately corrected, “It’s revolutionary. It’s something not a single Seeress has done in the past. To connect with the people instead of sit quietly in the Hall of the Guardians underground, simply aiding in averting a disaster every few months or so, is not at all silly.”

Could I do it though? I naively wanted to be able to see it clearly: the certainty of a promising future. It was a moment of weakness that hit me suddenly and without warning.

Fingertips running across the surface of the cool glass sphere, I said, “I wish you were here in front of me, Luhan. I wish that I could reach out and hold you so that I could be certain that you’re here, existing along with me. Living along with me.”

A knock on the door startled me out of my daze, making me retract my hand and curse myself for ever extending it in the first place--as though I had done so much wrong in that one action.

“Your highness, may I come in?”

“Yes.” I answered hastily, refusing to look at the orb that remained silent in front of me.

When the door opened, Tao was standing there. “Your highness,” he said again, his voice seeming to say my title with such adoration, with such admiration, that I felt my knees weaken, “Lunch is ready. We’re all waiting for you.”

At the thought of lunch with the eleven Guardians, my determination was back-- for time being. I left Luhan behind to deal with the weight of my words on his own, following a satisfied looking Tao to the dining room that contained that less than appealing table. Which reminded me: I had a call to make today.

That night, I was awoken by the sound of my bedroom door opening. “Luhan?” I asked, despite knowing he wouldn't have dared come in person. Opening my groggy eyes, I turned towards the moonlight that streamed in from my window. My intuition had served me well once more.

Luhan was there. Not in his usual glass, spherical form. No. He was actually there. Physically there. Literally here.

The other Guardians told me he didn’t like to leave his room. Or rather than disliking it, he simply didn’t leave. He didn’t want to be seen. I wouldn’t ask anymore than this. I wouldn’t ask for any more than being able to hear his voice so vividly, no transceiver separating us.

“Your highness, I have decided to make an exception this once and appear before you in my physical form.” He bowed then, even before he uttered his unnecessary apology, “I apologize for entering so brashly. I request you also make an exception towards my uncouth manner in not waiting for your response before I entered after knocking.”

When he rose from his bow and I was standing but two feet away from him. He said something else, as though he were trying to fill the silence that engulfed us. Trying to fill the room with words so that I couldn’t ask a single question. So I wouldn’t see him.

“I said this this afternoon and I will say it again, your highness. You did well. I am proud of you. I am proud to call you my Seeress.” His arms lifted from his sides. Only slightly. Only slightly because I didn’t wait for them to rise any further.

I closed the two-step distance between us in one large stride, hugging him tight. Latching onto loose fabric. Releasing a sigh I didn't know I was holding. Relief swelling within me. Swelling and swelling and swelling. And it almost burst when he hugged me back.

I needed this. I needed to feel the security I was promising the people of Exo planet. I needed it to be tangible. I needed to hold it in my own hands, grasp onto it with my own fingers. I needed to feel that it was all real. That this was all real. This entire experience. This entire, unbelievably mind-blowing experience.

I needed it much more than I originally thought I did; Luhan was the vehicle that allowed me to satiate my need.

Nothing is certian. But, for the sake of Exo Planet, the Exotians, and all of the Guardians including the person I embraced so tightly now, I had to push on. And I would. And I will.

The next morning, I was the first one in the dining room for breakfast. Waiting at the round table that shone brightly like the sun under the yellow light beaming in from the window. The round table that -- at a different angle -- shone a glimmering jade, its color akin to the pale blue hue of the moon. As I sat there, a smile on my face, the door to the dining room opened.

In walked Sehun and Suho. Sehun stopped immediately at the doorway, staring at the table with wide eyes as he questioned himself.

What? Wait, what? What’s this? This wasn’t here last night at dinner.

Suho, much more oblivious to the change, came to my side, pulling the chair to my right out and smiling down at me before it hit him. Before it hit him that yes, Suho, things were different this particular morning.

You never cease to amaze me, your highness.

Xiumin, Tao, and Lay entered next. Tao bumped into a still stationary Sehun. I didn’t read his mind, I didn’t have to. He simply nodded in approval. I also didn’t have to read Xiumin’s mind to know what he was thinking. He declared it without a moment’s hesitation, “I like it.” 

“What happened to the table?” Kris asked as he and Chanyeol entered the dining room now. The irritation on his face was something I expected. But, as he got closer, his dissatisfaction faded.

Chanyeol peeked over Lay's shoulder, his smile broad and his teeth gleamin. “It looks like the sun,” he said.

“And the moon,” Kris whispered, reaching out to touch it as though it weren’t real. When it didn’t, his eyes drew upwards, locking with mine, “You did this?”

“I did.” I grinned and he laughed.

The smell of bacon and eggs grew stronger. So strong it permeated through the wooden doorway to the kitchen. Breakfast came waltzing in the hands of D.O, Kai, and Baekhyun. They hauled in plates of bacon, eggs, pancakes, fruits, and a pitcher of orange juice. D.O’s eyes went as wide as a deer’s, his shock more than apparent. Still, he walked on, placing the tray of pancakes on the table with a quizzical expression.

“About time, I hated that stiff table,” Baekhyun joked, placing the tray of fruits and the orange juice pitcher down.

“I share that sentiment completely,” Kai patted his shoulder, setting down the eggs and bacon.

 “Do you like it?” I asked D.O, not being able to hold back the question. He didn’t reply out loud--I had to read his mind to know his answer.

You’re amazing, your highness.

I’m not amazing, D.O. You all are amazing. Before I could voice these words to them, however, the door from the hallway opened again to reveal Chen. Chen, who at this point divulged the location of where I had temporarily stashed the previous, domineering table.

“Okay, what’s the dining room table doing in the training room—” Chen’s jaw fell open, the answer to his question presenting itself. Interestingly, he continued on, undeterred in the least, “Okay, never mind. I’ll just move it later. Let’s eat.” He joined us at the table as though nothing were wrong on Exo Planet.

Nothing was. Not a single thing was wrong as the morning carried on as usual; the feeling of togetherness was seemingly never stronger than at that moment. At these moments in which we eat together. Not a single thing was wrong that Luhan’s presence was absent between Lay and Xiumin once more. Because no matter where we were, we greeted this day together. Together with all of Exo planet. With all Exotians.

A/N: So, first off, I apologize for being late. But hey, it was worth the wait right? Right? I hope so. 

Ignore the next paragraph if you wish to as the author (me) of this FF sees the need to explain things in a very English Major-y way. Sorry guys. 

So, secondly, I hope that the reason she felt the need to hug Luhan is clear. I put into words saying he was the "vehicle" that allowed her to satiate the need to make certain that what she was striving for actually existed. A "vehicle" in writing is a part of a metaphor. I guess you could call this a semi-extended metaphor, since an extended metaphor is through a whole text in its entirety and this was only through this one chapter. Anyway, a metaphor is made up of a tenor and vehicle. A tenor is the thing the vehicle alludes to (the central idea/concept the vehicle is akin to). So, making Luhan tangible serves as the vehicle in this case and the tenor is making the Seeress's optimistic view for the future tangible and without uncertainty. So, the Seeress sees that Luhan is just as intangble, his existence just as questionable and uncertain as he has never appeared physically in front of her, as a promising future for Exo Planet is with the help of her abilities as Seeress of Exo and more significantly the abilities of her herself. So to see him and hold him, to have him become tangible and able to be possessed within her grasp, is like her being able to make her optimistic view for the future tangible (a certainty in a sense). Yeah, there's your English lesson for the day. I ramble and I'm proud. 

So, thirdly, um, actually I don't have anything to say thirdly but I just felt like things go nicely when placed in threes. So, um, yeah, enjoy a gif of Luhan.