Chương 49: The Day Joker and Harley Gave Elara's Past a "Burial"

Joker and Harley showed up with a small wooden box painted pink and gold. Inside: a piece of Elara's broken armor, one of her crystallized tears, and a paper that read "Dead Future." They held a ceremonial burial in the garden. Joker, voice serious: — Today we bury what tried to kill our big sis. Harley threw dirt with her little hand: — Rest in peace, suffering. You lost. Elara cried so hard she had to be carried back home by Astrid.

Elara still had a fear of heights from temporal falls. Lysithea transformed, opened her huge pink shadow wings, and took off low, carrying Elara in her arms like a bride. — Look, my daughter… the sky is ours now. They flew in slow circles over the orphanage until sunrise. Elara cried on her shoulder: — I never thought I'd fly again… without fear.

Chapter 49/3 – The "Day of Silence" That Graciela Invented for Elara Graciela declared: — Today no one says a word. Only hugs. For 12 hours, no one spoke. Just hugs, caresses, head pats. Elara slept in Graciela's lap the whole day, waking up with her face swollen from crying so much in relief. If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.

Chapter 49/4 – The Letter All the Girls Wrote to Elara (and Delivered Together) Each one wrote a sentence on a giant sheet of paper: Sylvara: "You taught me to be strong with kindness." Lirien: "I saw you coming back in my visions… and I cried with happiness." Rina: "My tail will always protect you." Kuroe: "Chaos loves you back." Astrid: "You're my strongest big sis." Marina: "My steam is yours whenever you need it." Joker & Harley (together): "Welcome to the eternal circus, little sis. VIP seat: just for you."

Lysithea taped it to Elara's bedroom wall. She reads it every night before sleeping. and Everyone Joined the Frozen Hug 1486. Elara was testing a new limit: freezing time for 10 seconds. She froze the entire garden. But before time resumed, all the children (and the nuns) ran and jumped into her hug inside the paused time. When time returned, Elara found herself buried under 12 bodies hugging her at once. — You… entered my paused time?! Collective answer: — Of course. Hugs don't wait for time.

Chapter 49/6 – The First Time Joker and Harley Called Elara "Big Sis" in Front of Everyone During dinner. Joker, out of nowhere: — Pass the salt, big sis Elara. Harley added: — And the bread, big sis Elara. Elara froze with the spoon in her hand. Eyes full of tears. Lysithea smiled: — Now it's official. Elara cried into her soup bowl. No one complained that it ended up too salty. Chapter 49/7 – Elara's Last Nightmare 1486, the night before turning 14. Elara woke up screaming for the last time. But this time…

everyone was already waiting by her bed. Lysithea, Joker, Harley, all the girls, Mirella, and Graciela. They formed a human cocoon before she even finished the scream. Elara sobbed: — It was the last one… I know it was the last one… Lysithea kissed her forehead: — Because now you're truly home.

Chapter 49/8 – The Secret Promise Joker and Harley Made to Elara Found years later on a hidden paper in her room:"Big sis Elara, If you ever doubt you deserve to be here, we'll blow up the entire timeline until you believe it. Because you're ours. Forever. Signed: your crazy little siblings who would destroy the universe for you." Elara kept the paper close to her heart. Forever. Chapter 49/9 – The Day Joker and Harley Made Elara Promise Never to Disappear Again 1485.

Joker and Harley dragged Elara to the attic at midnight. They made her swear on the pink hammer and Joker's top hat: — Promise you'll never leave again. Not to time, not to anywhere. Elara, crying: — I promise. They sealed it with a hug so tight they almost broke her ribs. — Good. Because if you disappear, we'll blow up time until we find you. Chapter 49/10 – The First Time Elara Let Lysithea Cry in Her Lap 1486. Lysithea had a bad day (nightmare about the blood moon massacre).

Elara picked her up like a child and let her cry until she fell asleep. — You always carried me, Mommy. Today I carry you. Lysithea slept smiling with her face full of tears. Chapter 49/11 – The "Secret Sisters Club" the Girls Created for Elara Sylvara, Lirien, Rina, Kuroe, Astrid, and Marina created a club just for them + Elara. Weekly meetings in the attic: just girls, just tears, just hugs. Rule #1: Whoever cries gets head pats from everyone.

Rule #2: Never tell the boys (Joker and Harley found out and sneaked in anyway).