She clutched her head again.

Those dysphoric memories never ceased. An endless drip, drip, drip of images and sensations that made her writhe inside. She remembered who she was now, of course. But she still couldn't forget her.

She was lo-███████. ███████. ███████.

Not Lovebell.

Yet the identity of Lovebell had been branded into her mind, leaving a permanent scar. She'd been under a spell. She hadn't been herself. And now she was trying so, so hard to remember who she truly is.

Yet everywhere she turned in the Citadel was a trigger. Everything reminded her of when she was Lovebell. Memories of herself doing things and saying things that made her true self want to wretch. Each resurgence of her time as Lovebell mucked up and blended her mind further. Was she still herself? Her real self? Were her feelings her own or were they an impression left by Lovebell?

That wasn't what she hated most about Lovebell, however.

What she'd hated most of all was her role as Lovebell. She'd been like a pet, trained and disciplined by that despicable nocturne. Taught to dance in charming little circles and perform endearing little tricks. And through it all, she had more than tolerated it. She had embraced it. She had truly believed that was her life. That was how things ought to be.

It made her so furious and ashamed whenever she remembered how she'd acted.

A large talon pressed against ███████'s temples, and her migraine was soothed to a dull throb.

"You are troubled by our domain." It was a statement. ███████ looked up and nodded wordlessly. A huge, shimmering wing extended around her. She felt like a tiny hatchling being comforted by a mother. That voice, it was spoken with real empathy.

"And your name is not truly Lovebell?" it went on.

"Of course not!" she snapped.

"I see. May I have your real name?"

"███████," she said it without thinking. Anything but to be addressed as Lovebell ever again.

"Allow me to aid you, ███████. I cannot take your painful memories away, but I can ease them. Bring happier thoughts to the forefront of your mind. Wouldn't you like that?"

Of course ███████ would rather forget all about Lovebell, and of course she'd rather get on with her real life. Yet there was something else so inexplicably enticing, so irresistible about the golden guardian's words, that she found herself saying "Yes."