《A Story That You Wouldn't Want To Read +》 Fortell- lilogue: '''' End of Babylon: Alpha '''' A man basking in the light behind his back and wearing full body golden armor has recited these words. And yes, as one person would think, it was a skill and a rather deadly one as that. It can literally obliterate one planet. As such, it can only be used six times in total when one has attained this skill. It''s a Rank G skill. The highest Rank of skill one could obtain. I don¡¯t know why I¡¯m explaining this but who would stop me anyway. And upon its destructive power here I am in glorious sitting form in a nearby boulder, if one would be looking, you could sense that he is just half-assed copying a noble. Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. As I slowly open my eyes to gaze upon my enemy who took my actions as utmost ridicule of him, I open my mouth to say what I had in mind, to apologize and make this whole situation off, I mean, the world that I am in might be destroyed if the man in gold would choose to unleash it, but the world is such a cruel place, it never really goes the way you want it to be. '''' Kneel before me, only by then shall I grant you forgiveness for your transgressions! '''' These words were said with a tone of a mockery, and so at that moment, I knew that my life together with this planet shall perish. With that thought in mind, I slowly closed my eyes and reach for my bottle of water to drink. '''' End of Babylon: Omega '''' Those words are the final words that I heard. Chapter 1+ : Ends at the Start THE ENDING OF MY BEGINNING! [The time now is 6:30] The robotic voice repeated this phrase four times before finally shutting up, with the interval of 15 seconds each to complete a full minute. '''' Huh? Isn''t supposed to be Sunday today? '''' A completely normal reaction for a lazy person, Needless to say, that person is me. I''m Miho, Miho Rillhart A Highschool student Sixteen years old. In a rather bizarre situation that I found myself in, oddly enough, I''m quite calm maybe it doesn''t sink in just yet with my brain. Waking up in circular formation of white sand that seems to be the place where I slept all this time until the alarm clock had rung, the circular formation of the sand measures estimates within 1.5 meter radius, outside the sand will be vast green meadow as far one eyes can see with flowers, grass, and trees to occupy it. A breeze flows through my face as the wind blew, the moment should have been perfect if the sand didn''t come along with it through my eyes. '''' Gahh!! '''' After the incident with the sand, I stood up from where I was previously lying down, as to look around the place; I have discerned that no human or animals'' presence can be found around the area where I was in. Still one shouldn''t lose hope finding another person or at the very least some company and so I began walking wherever my feet takes me. The scenery before me can be rather be called a view taken out from a painting though it was just simply a vast meadow in which the grass are chests length, the large trunks and branches of trees from afar and the beautiful sunflowers that seem to stretch their flowers up to the sky, and as the wind gently blew, the trees, grass and flowers bows and sways as if the whole meadows is gracefully dancing right before my eyes. After a long time with an estimate of five and a half hour of searching, I stopped by and sit under a huge tree nearby and to assess my situation. '''' I will die! '''' A sudden conclusion, A serious judgment coming from a person with no survival skills lingering on his every muscle, to whom spends his days just lazily sleeping whenever he has free time. A few minutes after his declaration of his dreaded future, he leaned back to the tree and looked through the sky, it''s as if just waiting for his time to come. His eyelids getting heavy with each passing minutes, he closed his eyes accepting whatever happen to him from this day forth. I said to myself as I closed my eyes due to being tired from a long walk if this is my final line even if it''s just my monologue at least I should make it cool right. The lines being said by those support characters of some movies even if they died at the very end they create a lasting impression that they''re cool, though I didn''t do anything worthwhile in my life at least I got to be cool at the very last moment. But the world isn''t really that forgiving- '''' Say, Do you want to live? '''' A phrase I often read in the manga, a quite cliche opening phrase, in which the protagonist starts out. I slowly open my heavy eyelids to see who the person that spoke to me is, since I never found anyone from the entire walk I did, this meeting is my last stroke of luck, judging from its voice, that person must be a girl. But- '''' Or do you want to die? '''' The colors from my face are gradually disappearing as from that moment. [YES!! YES!! YES!! KILL ME RIGHT NOW!!!!] An internal scream is happening to me right now. As apparently the voice came from a man dressed up as a woman with a blue ball gown that seems to sparkle from every thread it consists of. The view is from which I last recall that type of clothes when I watch an animation movie, where a poor girl manages to marry a prince due to her one dance from the ball, called Cin****lla. The upper body of his, which is the very eye-catching part, is closely similar to a body builder body, making it a body fit clothes, with each fiber of the clothes indicating the muscles it embraces. His face is greatly proportionate to his body rendering his makeup and lipstick useless, eyes who''s gaze are like a hawk to its prey after a long time, resembling someone from an anime that''s quite about grappling. '''' I think I choose to die. '''' With all the strength I have left from my internal screaming, I manage to deliver a reply to this SHE-MAN. '''' Hmm¡­Well, that''s odd? Mostly all the people I ask this question apparently choose the first choice. '''' [Well, I think apparently they all have clung to the last glimmer of hope that they will live. ] It seems that my inner monologue starts to kick in some comebacks. While on the outside, I was just blankly staring to the SHE-MAN who seems to be in loss, because the answer she/he gets was different from a majority consensus. '''' Oh well! Orders are orders. I can¡¯t disobey them even if I wanted to. '''' The SHE-MAN shrugged his shoulders as if it has finally given up thinking things through and just follow some sort of schedule, after a while she turns around to my direction to face me. '''' Well, it''s your life young man; do feel free to do whatever you want with it '''' '''' Eh? Huh? What do you- '''' Not even finishing my sentence. In the next moment I was lifted from my previously leaning position to the tree to a height in which I could see his/her face from above, this SHE-MAN height roughly measures about 7 foot tall or more, so you can imagine me like some jacket or trench coat hanging on a wall and he/she did it effortlessly with just a pinky finger. Seriously pinky finger!!? I don''t know the reason for the pinky finger maybe it looks lady-like but to support or lift someone effortlessly with, but with just that his strength must me monstrous. What am I a cup? '''' And up, up, up, we GO!!!! '''' The SHE-MAN had thrown me up in the air. The next thing I knew was the vast white scenery. Oh a something looks like a dog Now, this situation is quite troubling. I was up in the sky way beyond the clouds, admiring the soft and fluffy appearance of the so-called white cotton candy of the sky. Making me forget that just moments ago, I was just thrown up through the air for no apparent reason. '''' So this is what heaven looks like, Yeah I think it is, so I really did die! Hahahahaha!'''' Tears started to form from the corners of my eyes, the view in front of me is so dazzling that it fills my heart with unnecessary happiness, which makes me suddenly realize something. With a faint voice, I murmured as tears began to flow down my cheeks. '''' I did want to live! '''' Yep, human decision or resolution of something or the like are very fragile things, or maybe it just me. Looking at the higher probability It¡¯s just me, yup just me At that very moment, I started to recall things from the past with a bitter expression, regrets that I can no longer return to correct my mistakes. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. '''' Being able to enjoy the view from up here accompanied by sentimentality, are we now. '''' !?? I suddenly tilt my head around to search where the familiar voice was heard, needless to say, the voice I heard came from someone to whom I recently been acquainted. It¡¯s the SHE-MAN. We are currently as I assumed to be hovering the clouds but the posture I took looks like a person from some drawing which I can''t remember the name where its hand and feet are wildly apart from each other, in a sense it''s a posture used by skydivers which I saw from the movies, however, the SHE-MAN posture was from someone who is watching T.V. from their sofa in their living room. '''' Being so indecisive about your choices in crucial moments might end up taking your life, Young man '''' '''' Aren''t I dead? Isn¡¯t this heaven already? '''' I hurriedly replied. As I already presumed that conclusion since reasoning from my mind isn¡¯t functioning well now so it seems. '''' Haha haha !! To both of your questions, apparently not! Young man, you¡¯re not dead, this is the sky to which I had thrown you and from which you will eventually fall, if you survive the fall from this height, you''ll live to see another day. If you don''t, well maybe you''ll get to see the real heaven you sought after. Well, then good luck! '''' After his speech I gradually began to feel that the gravity is pulling me down, giving birth to a spectacular view of the world beneath me just a few moments ago. A large continent is the first to be noticed with a shape similar to hands joined like a cup but inverted. Along with several continents which are quite small if compared to the inverted hands and the one continent that the joined hands seemed to be protecting. It seems that I always been easily diverted my mind on other things rather than focus on what is happening to me right now. With my posture like the sky-divers I have seen from the movies my deceleration greatly improves if I keep this up maybe I could survive a fall even from this height, with roughly estimating that I would fall to the bodies of water it will greatly reduce the shock of the fall, but it seems fate has a bit of grudge to me. '''' No! no! no! no! '''' A voice can be heard again even against all these winds that clear out any sounds from the outside, it''s even crystal clear. It''s the SHE-MAN from before. He then descended to the altitude as I am with the same posture as before with a disgruntled face. In which I can foretell that something is about to happen. And when I mean something ¨C It means bad things I mean nothing good happened the moment I met this SHE-MAN. '''' Young man, if you keep this pace I''ll never be able to keep my quota. So even if it''s regrettable, I''ll have to make you use the gate '''' '''' Eh? What are yo- '''' I¡¯ve have been getting a lot of interruption to my speeches lately. In accordance with what he said, his long bulky arms had reached for my back and take hold of my clothes, and with an arm strength exceeding mere mortals. He performed a 360 degrees turn and thrown me straight to the ground. Imagine it as a baseball player had a full 360-degree turn in mid-air and thrown his ball, except that ball is me. [Gate, my ass!!!!] Inner monologue kicks in just in time. When gliding through the air moments ago I can roughly estimate I was going about 25 mph but after the throw I can sense that I have broken through the sound wall, closing a distance of more than a thousands of feet above sea level with mere 10 seconds. Ten Nine Eight Seven Six Five Four Three Two One Zero Through that speed, I must assume that the next time I will open my eyes some old man with a rooster by his side will be the one to greet me, along with the angels and such through the majestic gate of heaven. But it was the brown soil. It¡¯s a good soil if I may think so. I was floating with just several inches from the ground. Ah yes I think I''m still alive because it seems fate isn''t done playing with me yet. Thud! My tired body hit the ground. Dust and the soil are the ones that stole my first kiss. Not that it mattered now anyway. I slowly pull myself up to know what kind of place I was thrown to now. The last thing I remembered before closing my eyes because of an intense wind pressure was an island with a shape of a star, an eight-point star shape island. Another foreign place A place where I was suddenly thrown at, Just for the sole reason of getting his quota. What is his/her quota anyway? Why are these things happening to me? After waking up in a middle of a meadow along with weird formation in its place Spending the trouble of inspecting the place Then some incomprehensible SHE-MAN appeared and now this island with a shape of a star. The unknown island which is called or known as, Chapter 2+: Early Flashback '''' You''re the last one, young man! '''' With those last parting words, the SHE-MAN grabbed my back and threw me horizontally to the ground with the speed which easily broken the wall of sound, in mere seconds the distance between the ground and my body had been decreased by an inch. I opened my eyes being closed due to being exposed to an immense wind pressure from that fall if one could call that a fall, I was floating above the ground. Then Thud The float just lasted for a second and I had fell through the ground the next moment, I pathetically tried to stand up. Wonder if my body is alright? There I saw a soft sparkling white sand along with stones and a bit of grass, from afar trees and their leaves sways as the wind blew, after a while the sound of the sea finally reached my consciousness which made me turned around and saw the sea in the middle of two rocks, upon closer observations I was surrounded by several teeth-like giant stones as if I am inside a sharks mouth waiting for it to eat me or better example will be I am in a stone hedge which is quite famous for some sort of extraterrestrial subject. And after a while my body became heavy, my consciousness leaving, and the last I felt was my body fell to the ground. Geez¡­ delayed body reaction. ************************** THE REMEMBERED PAST Morning The time of the day most where most people will agree with me, specifically the lazy ones, that this is the hardest part. I took a quick peek at the clock hung on the wall, the clock displays the time which is 5:57 am, and apparently I woke up thirty-three minute early from the alarm I had set myself last night. I found myself looking at the ceiling of my own room; it was just a normal room with a bed, fan, table and a cabinet, and of course a window and a door. '''' Miho! Wake up! " A voice can be heard from behind the door, it''s my little brother waking me up in which I think is due to the instructions of my parents, why else would your little brother wake you up for no apparent reason. ¡°Mom says you can''t be late today, due to the teacher''s complaining about your consecutive late attendance," ¡° Got it! Give me a minute, I''ll be out after I fix my bed '''' Gasp. A gasping sound was heard beyond the door. A short moment of silence occurred and ended shortly. ¡° MOM!!!!! Miho answered the first time I called him! " Apparently my family got used to my laziness that whenever I did something, not in the category of being lazy they all become so shocked, similar to a human seeing an alien for the very first time. This is the third time that it happened, so it''s understandable regarding their reactions because it''s a rare occurrence. After I finished fixing my bed, I have gone out of my room and went next to the living room which is also the dining room to eat breakfast. ¡° Good morning mom! What¡¯s for breakfast today? " '''' Morning Miho, due to being a RARE day today I had decided to cook ham " Yes, she really did emphasize saying the word rare. My family should really find something that piques their interest so they will not fixate their attention on me. '''' Thanks, bro! Maybe you should do this more often, so we can eat like this a lot '''' '''' Yeah! I''ll try when pigs began to fly or physically managed to look up the sky. '''' And the three of us laughed. The day starts with and mostly ends the same way. My family and I got along just fine, we laughed, we fight, we cry, we even share secrets, we treat mom like our best of friends. ______________ I slowly open my heavy eyelids and saw bluish ceiling with dark pointy shadows circling it. Just like a view from inside of a monster''s mouth trying to devour the sky. I am inside a monster''s mouth that tries to devour the sky, this thought aimlessly run throughout my mind. [....] '''' Are you okay now? '''' An unfamiliar voice ask me, judging from the sound it came from a girl, making me forget the thought process I am having a while ago, but jumping conclusion early will result to despair, it seems that my mind had similar experience relating to jumping to conclusions early. While having these thoughts, the view of the monster mouth was replaced by a head with a long hair, I can''t really see its face because the shadow overlaps the light. ''''Hm mm¡­.?¡± The head tilted a little, indicating inquiry. The back of my head feels a bit soft. A series of thoughts ran through my mind. Either asking questions like ¡®where am I?¡¯ or ¡®who are you?¡¯ these two questions are the finalist in that thought marathon. ¡°Who am I?¡± [Hooo¡­ a wild card thought appears and wins the three miles marathon] ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± The head felt silent for a moment ¡°You¡¯re someone named Koo-uprimonku,¡± ¡°¡­Eh? ," I immediately got up from the lap pillow position to have a clearer view of whom I am speaking to. Before me, a girl with a long brown braided hair that reaches her bosom, skin mildly toned down to brown, and a pretty face matched with indigo eyes. The clothes she wears greatly emphasize her beauty even with a long plain light-green dress that reaches up to her knees and a one-sided sleeve that covers her right arm. She looks at me with a mild serious face but I¡¯m sensing a bit mischievousness coming from her. How do I sense that? I don¡¯t know myself. ¡°Well, you suddenly ask of who you are- ¡°a mischievous smile emerge from her face. ¡°So I gave you a name, aren¡¯t you glad? I think the name Koo-uprimonku is a pretty good,¡± [Well you¡¯re naming sense is apparently uniquely exotic to me. ] ¡°No- well I quite thankful for the thought but my name is Miho¡± ¡° Oh~ then It seems my treatment for memory loss is quite effective,¡± She giggled. ¡­ I¡¯m loss for words; this girl anticipated the situation and planned accordingly, executed and arrive at the most acceptable outcome. Unconsciously at that moment I became wary around this girl, for whatever I do may be used against me. Just like the law huh? Anything I say or do, may or may not be used against me. As to notice my bewildered state, she breaks the silence between us. ¡°My name is Aru-ia, the guardian of this place and one of the receivers of the visitors from another world,¡± This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.¡°¨CHa? ," The last part of that statement didn¡¯t surprise me but I don¡¯t know what to say, because all of my assumptions seem to be right on the mark, nay, it hit the bull¡¯s-eye mark from a three-kilometer archery contest. I did have such thought of being transferred to another world but that is the last option there is because those things only happen in stories. A human had been transferred and such, being a hero that slays the demon lord and saves that world and going back to the old world. You know those clich¨¦ patterns. [Urgh! I have too many questions and I don¡¯t know what to ask] As if sensing the state I¡¯m in, Aru-ia speaks again. But now my mischievousness sense is tingling, and it looks like it¡¯s coming from her. ¡°This is the world of Htrae, a world filled with love and hate-¡± [Love and hate, hmmm¡­ let me guess the next one, good and evil] ¡°Good and Evil¡± Aru-ia continued. [Eh? Did I get it? Then the next is war and peace, Ha-ha predictable] ¡°War and Peace," [Eh? Did I get it again? Then next is rich and poor, this time, I may be wrong.] ¡°The rich and the poor," [Ehh? Right again? Is it too much of a coincidence? No, it¡¯s like she¡¯s reading my thoughts] ¡°These are the things that this world consists of¡± Aru-ia smiled. [Eh? That can¡¯t be, right? ] [Of course it isn¡¯t] ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­ ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­. ¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­¡­. A long minute of silence ¡°Ehhhh?? Get out of my thoughts woman! ," I suddenly raised my voice because of the shock of what just happened and stepped back a little. A giggle is suddenly heard behind me. I didn¡¯t know there was a person all this time at my back. The person behind me wears familiar clothes, long sleeves polo shirt, jeans, and sandals. This person might be the same as me, a visitor from another world. A helping hand came when I needed it the most, finally some comrade-in-situation. ¡°Hey! Are you the same as me right? Right? Another visitor that came from another world! ," The person nodded to me while smiling. ¡°We should get out of here; the woman there can read minds and eventually control our minds,¡± Upon my gesture of getting up the person gently shakes it head left and right and said. ¡°It¡¯s okay, try to calm down¡± [No, No, No, Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!! My last ray of hope is gone; this person is already under her control. I¡¯m doomed; she will control my mind and make me her minion. ] She is the main villain of this world, the one who wants to conquer it, she greets the visitor from another world because they have powers that the inhabitants of this world don''t have. It¡¯s always the aliens that have more power, knowledge and overwhelming advantage. It doesn¡¯t only happen in stories of fantasy; it also happens in movies where aliens tried to invade earth, well humans always conveniently win. [After she controls my mind maybe she will burn me alive, get my innards and-] A powerful yet hurtful pinch is applied to both of my cheeks right now, the reason for the thought interruption. Aru-ia smiling face is in front of me; though there is beauty in it a more sinister aura had overlapped it which can only mean one thing. [She is angry] [Yes, I am! Now, would you be kind enough to stop your blabbering thoughts and listen to me or I¡¯ll have to make your torture thoughts come true, understood? ] [Y-yes] Instilled with a vast amount of terror, I obediently obeyed. ********************************* ¡°Ehem, Now that we¡¯re passed the stage of baseless assumptions let us start anew.¡± Aru-ia started. ¡°I¡¯m Aru-ia, the guardian of this place and one of the receivers of the visitors from another world," Reaching out her hand to the place beside me, she gestured the person located there to make an introduction, and the person happily cooperated even to the extent of standing up. ¡°I¡¯m Riela, Riela Von Leucand¡± It seems I haven¡¯t noticed it earlier, but that person is a girl, estimating age range of fifteen to eighteen. Long silver hair with black color upon the ? end of the hair, I firstly thought of it being unusual but the thought gradually dispersed because it blended perfectly with her white skin. Along with the long sleeves polo shirt and skinny jeans she wears, which blends unexpectedly well. After Riela introduction, Aru-ia smiles at Riela, then looks at me indicating that it¡¯s my turn to introduce myself. [Introduction, what is this first day of school? ] [Hmmmm¡­ Well aren¡¯t you a spoilsport, we already introduced ourselves and you won¡¯t? ] Ugh I nearly forgot this woman can read minds. [Okay. Understood] ¡°Eh?¡± I was dumbfounded. Just easy as that, it seems that this girl really played me in her hand all this time. With nothing to lose, I continued to introduce myself. ¡°I¡¯m Miho, Miho Rillhart¡± Satisfied with what I did Aru-ia smiles earnestly to me. A smile that¡¯s innocently charming that even makes my weary mind calm and suspicious heart skips a beat Chapter 3+: The Story-Telling ¡°As you may already have assumed, Riela is just like you, a visitor!¡± A hand suddenly offered to me for a handshake. ¡°Again, I¡¯m Riela, Nice to meet you Miho!¡± With a radiant smile, Riela introduced herself to me once more. I offered my hand as well and accepted the handshake. Note to myself Girls hand is soft. ¡°Same here it¡¯s also nice to meet you too! Riela¡± I sincerely smiled to her and she also answered it with another radiant smile of hers. Then, on to the main issue at hand I turned towards the speaker of this gathering, Aru-ia. The self-proclaimed guardian and receiver of visitors Also a mind reader, scary ¡°Now that we have been properly acquainted, it¡¯s about time for you to tell us of what is happening." ¡°Well, actually I only have to explain it to you since I¡¯ve already explain it to Riela when you were sound asleep a while ago," I turned to face Riela and got answered by a smiling face of confirmation. Aru-ia was telling the truth apparently. It seems that they both have leisurely watched me sleep. I turned and face Aru-ia dejectedly. ¡°Oh~ but we didn¡¯t do anything to your face, if that¡¯s what you¡¯re worried about¡± The thought didn¡¯t cross my mind If she didn¡¯t mentioned it just now I wouldn¡¯t think of that. This woman¡­ [Eh?¡­ wait, if I say anything, I¡¯ll be playing again in her hands better let it slide for now, either way I can¡¯t confirm it since I don¡¯t see anything that may be used as a mirror to reflect my image. ] ¡°It¡¯s okay, I don¡¯t mind,¡± It¡¯s as if sensing that things didn¡¯t go as she planned she fell silent for a moment and ask in mild serious tone. ¡°Hmm¡­ For further understanding my explanations, I shall tell you a bit about this world¡¯s history. You wouldn¡¯t mind a little off topic history to make it easier to understand, do you? ," ¡°No, I don¡¯t,¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s not actually a history more like a children story, passed on through generations.¡± I noticed that Riela had come closer to Aru-ia like a child-like expression on her face, it seems like she didn¡¯t hear this when Aru-ia explained it to her this children story. Children story¡­ Meaning I¡¯m being treated as a kid though the idea isn¡¯t really that bad if that will allow me to understand the situation I am in but something inside me is so against it for some reason. Is it pride? That I do not know. Then I sensed the mischievous aura coming from her. My eyebrows irk a little. I glared at her to telling her to stop playing around. ¡°Now, Now, There¡¯s no need to glared at me intensely" ¡°Is there?" ¡°Yes, Though I may have called it a children story it doesn¡¯t mean that it¡¯s meant only for children because the history is bit long and you seemed that you¡¯re not the type of person to listen to long stories, the one I¡¯m about to tell is quite a short summarization of the history, made sense right?" She got a point there? With nothing to say to counter her logical reason, I nodded in agreement. ****************************** In the beginning, The world of Htrae, is a world of filled with abundance of everything, Blessed and loved by Goddess of Light, Iar It grants the world with mysteries and wonders, Guarded and maintained balance is the Goddess of Darkness, Feul The rules of the world were formed along with the cycle of life and death. But then another God intervened with this harmony. The God named Hvarn, The God of Corruption. The God corrupted all the lands of the world of Htrae, exempting nothing. Living and non-living alike are all corrupted and turn into monsters. The two Goddesses noticed the disruptions of the harmony of life and death took action. The Goddesses alone cannot match against the power of the God of Corruption, Thus they fused themselves and became the Goddess of Light and Darkness, Arual Upon fusing their power, it rivaled the God of Corruption and they confront him. With the confrontation the Goddess soon overcame the God of Corruption and defeated it. Bringing back the balance, the world was put to peace once again. ******************************** Riela clasp her hand and clap silently with joyful eyes. It seems that Riela is a bit childish despite her appearance. Though those little gesture added to her charm granted that she was quite a pretty when I first saw her. ¡° It does have the children story approach, Is that all of it? " ¡° Hmm¡­ are you asking for more? ¡± ¡°If you¡¯re asking me if I want more information then, yes¡± ¡° Well, how about a little flattery coming from you.¡± ¡° Urg¡­ the story you told us is very easy to understand. ¡± You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. Oh Yes¡­ my sarcasm at its finest. I¡¯m not well verse in this field so may luck smile upon me. ¡°Well, maybe the story-teller is good though that may be the end of the children story but I¡¯m now telling the history of our world so I have to tell the parts that are not told.¡± Riela is surprised that the story didn¡¯t end there. I thought she already knew the story. Riela and I both listened intently to the continuation of her story. ******************************************* Even though the God of Corruption was defeated He didn¡¯t let it end there. With his last ounce of power, he unleashed a blast of power upon the Goddess Hvarn power pierced through the Goddess and brought fatal harm to her, resulting to their un-fusing. Upon his dying breath the God of Corruption had smiled and looks upon the Goddesses of Light and Darkness. ¡°Know these Goddesses; you both are not going to be whole again, the harmony that you all sought for is eternally destroyed.¡± With the last word muttered the God of Corruption vanished from existence. The two goddesses had been broken, Their powers weakened, The last ounce of power from the God of Corruption that pierce the Goddesses resulted in the losing their power to govern Death itself. Death upon contact with the power of the God of Corruption had received power to become a Deity, a transcendent being as the same plane as the Goddesses. Death power couldn¡¯t to rival the Goddesses even in their incomplete form but enough to lose their power to command Death. Though Death became a deity, due to originally a being that¡¯s been created with the power of one of the goddesses, Death still wants to preserve balance as it is once his original purpose is. Even though the Goddesses felt great loss losing their control in Death The balance is now is still being preserve. Little did they know the seed of corruption has been sown deeply into the world of Htrae. **************************** ¡°Hmm¡­ now it feels like a story-telling session¡± ¡°Well, I did it in a story telling way in the first place so I wouldn¡¯t be a stereotype person for just giving information,¡± ¡°So, in other words you-¡± [You¡¯re an NPC of some sort.] [Shhh¡­ I¡¯m not finished telling the story yet!] ***************************** Upon learning the existence of the seed of Corruption, The two goddesses have come to eradicate it but it has spread far and wide across the whole planet. Corrupting the hearts and minds of the inhabitants of the world, The Goddesses couldn¡¯t interfere anymore. Death decided to become a neutral force for the power of death only comes when an individual¡¯s mortality had reached its end. The seed of corruption began its work Creating small conflict leading to wars Creating small groups later being big factions People began to separate themselves from one another Further nurturing the growth of the seed of Corruption and letting it bloomed. Upon the bloomed seed, the Corruption spread throughout the land at a faster and thicker rate. Giving birth unto ferocious and vicious monsters unknown to the planet before Affecting all the inhabitants of the world With the final card upon the sleeves they enveloped the world with their power, They have called help upon other worlds and summoned them to this world to help suppressed the Corruption and banished it eternally. Emerging from it is this island which we are now. The place where other worlds inhabitants are received ********************************** ¡°And that¡¯s the history of our world and explanations as to why you are here,¡± ¡°And- you want me to believe it, your story?" ¡°It¡¯s the truth? So why not,¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t even explain why we are here!¡± The story is sketchy That to me is without doubt; I¡¯ll even call myself a doubtful person too, besides being lazy. So with that said I can¡¯t easily just say okay in here, so what am I going to do? But then, an interrupter of my chaotic thoughts enters the stage. Riela whispers to me. ¡°Miho, in the aspect of doubt, I can understand you, but with the scenery of the world before you, I think it¡¯s best for us to accept it as a reality just for now because we are completely clueless as to what our situation right now.¡± ¡°Well if you put it like that, I guess it is.¡± ¡°Thanks¡± [Aren¡¯t you mind controlled Riela? ] It seems Riela believes the story of this woman reader person but I can¡¯t seem to relax around this woman, my suspicion meter goes to high alert level. After contemplating whether to be believed the story and information given to me a while ago, I decide to postpone the conclusion for later. To think things thoroughly in this kind of situation is the best course of action to take. ¡°Then-¡± Chapter 4+: To Move Out ¡°Then tell us, where are we right now?¡± The place I am now, the star-shaped Island as I last remembered it to be from above the skies. From the surroundings it greatly resembles that of an untouched forest on Earth. Behind me is the vast ocean dyed in azure blue, like looking at the sky itself. Beneath me is the silver sands to the shore, it¡¯s really glittering. In front of me is the entrance to the untouched great forest, along with two bowing trees as if gesturing to welcome people who enters, it¡¯s a gate perhaps. Oddly, even though I couldn¡¯t what beyond the entrance it doesn¡¯t give a dangerous aura more of a friendly aura is being emitted through it. ¡°This place is called the Birth Island, the land where the beings from the other worlds is being received just as I did for the two of you,¡± Aru-ia with her chest puffed out. I avert my gaze for the moment there. I think this gesture should only be limited to girls with small chest sizes. ¡°Like the two of us?¡± Riela asked Aru-ia curiously. ¡°Ah! Yes I haven¡¯t told you yet! Apparently each other world beings or simply called visitors are subjectively assigned one of the existing races in this world.¡± Oh like a game where you don¡¯t have the ability to choose freely, I HATE those games. Aru-ia glanced over me for second and smiled, impishly. ??? ¡°So, are there other people like us?,¡± Riela asked, ¡°Yes, quite a lot apparently, though-¡± ¡°Though?¡± ¡°They don¡¯t seem to be as flustered as you two, when they first came here.¡± Aru-ia giggled. I listened to the two girl¡¯s conversation while having a monologue of my own all the while. They don¡¯t seem to be flustered as we are. These answer that Aru-ia said me a bit curious. Why would someone not be troubled if someone is transferred to another place that you aren¡¯t familiar with, even if you have very flexible way of living wouldn¡¯t someone be wary or cautious if you find yourself in an unfamiliar territory? As to why I am asking this to myself, I don¡¯t know, because as I am in the exact same situation of what I have been thinking or pondering about for a while now. As the saying says ¡®Coming from your own experience.¡¯ Though as of the moment the surroundings and the people around are quite harmless except for the- I quickly glanced over Aru-ia for bit, which for some reason is still talking to Riela about something. ¡°Hmm?¡± Aru-ia looked in my direction and smiled, chills ran through my spinal cord. Now as to why chills ran through my spinal cord, for the sake of my life pleading for help as to who know what reason could it be, please don¡¯t. Well I did have a vague idea of what but please don¡¯t. Setting that thought aside for now, I planned to further rack my brain of what is practically happening to me and what my situation is, and then light a tap in my left shoulder halted it. ¡°Miho!¡± ¡°A-ah! Riela, what is the matter?¡± ¡°You seem to be in deep thought for quite a while,¡± Riela then glanced over Au-ia which I unconsciously followed. There Aru-ia is sitting with a straight posture and an aura of elegance is surrounding her, looking at our direction. Scratch that she is staring at my direction, Specifically me, Particularly me, Does she have a grudge on me or something? I haven¡¯t even said a thing nor done anything to her. ¡°Aru-ia said that you are too quiet that maybe you are thinking of something bad,¡± I smiled bitterly in that statement, [Ugh¡­ Why do I always forget that woman can read minds! Dammit brain do you have bird type memory? ] ¡°Huh¡­ E-err- Why do you think she said that? ," ¡°I have no idea,¡± She replied with a blank expression while tilting her head a little. Is that some form of expression? Sorry but I have absolutely no clue what that gesture means. As I deemed that if I dwell more on that topic, it will conclude as me being bad in various ways more than one. I decided to change the topic. ¡°Hmmm¡­ so what are you discussing to her? You seem to be quite absorbed in the topic of other visitors other than us. Is it really that interesting, Riela,¡± Riela looked at my face after I ask her. Is there something on my face? I recall that Aru-ia said something about ¡®doing something on my face¡¯, did she really do something and now Riela somehow noticed it? As I remember she said, I quote: ¡°Oh~, but we didn¡¯t do anything to your face, if that¡¯s what you¡¯re worried about¡±, I end my quote. Based on that statement, they didn¡¯t do anything strange to my face, but I am missing something here. [Hmmm¡­ It¡¯s seems strange if they didn¡¯t do something on my face, then why is Riela looking at my face as if there¡¯s something in it? ] [ARGHHH¡­ I can¡¯t even confirm it since there nothing in here can show my image] ¡°Ehehe¡­¡± She smiled bashfully. Eh? Why is she laughing? What is it? Is something on my face really that funny? Huh? Ah! I got it! The point I am missing about that statement. Aru-ia did say ¡®We¡¯ not ¡®I¡¯, meaning she already did something on my face before she met Riela, leading to my conclusion that woman did something on my face earlier. Am I being tested for my tolerance here? If that¡¯s the case then I had reached my limit. Putting that thought aside for now, a girl in front of me is restlessly fidgeting around with her hair. I probably should focus on this matter right now. ¡°Err-¡± Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings.Lost for words to say these are the things that came out. ¡°It¡¯s refreshingly nice to hear other people say my name,¡± She says while trying to hide her embarrassment. ¡°E-eh? ¡®That so¡­ That was all the staring and fidgeting about? So it¡¯s had nothing to do with my face then. [Haaaaaaa¡­. So I am only over thinking about stuff, my brain still constantly change focus from one thing to another. ] ¡°Yep! Ah- about the conversation I had with Aru-ia-¡± She said to quickly switch back to our main topic. The subject of the conversation of Riela and Aru-ia had is about the other visitors aside from us, from what she heard visitors that was summoned here are quite numerous. So I glanced at Aru-ia for the further information regarding the subject. ¡°For clarity¡¯s sake, would you mind telling the exact or maybe estimated amount of visitors that came here Aru-ia¡± Aru-ia became silent, closing her eyes and putting her index finger in both of cheeks, puffing them even, gesturing that she was in deep thought. [Shhh¡­. I know you¡¯re flattering me but please tone it down a bit, even I get embarrassed. ] Ugh.. There it is again, her mind conversation technique. I know there is a name for it but I can¡¯t remember it, but, she to be embarrassed by my flattery is unlikely to be true. Then again, though still puffing her cheeks and poking both of her index fingers in it; her reddened face most like to say otherwise. [Uhm¡­ S-sorry! ] ¡°Hmmm¡­ Putting it in numbers that you visitors count it will be five thousand five hundred ninety-eight.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± ¡°That is roughly the estimated number of visitors that came here adding the two of you will be¡­¡± ¡°Five thousand six hundred people¡± ¡±That is a lot of people.¡± Riela joins the conversation with a correct answer to the addition of 5,598 + 2 with her chest puff out; well it¡¯s not like it a very difficult math problem, but she is filled with overflowing confidence now better not ruined it. After that I ask about a lot of things but to my expectation she strongly refuses to answer any questions I ask. Then she made a proposal. ¡°I¡¯ll answer any of your questions BUT I will be your companion. ," Yep, she did emphasize with that ¡®but¡¯ there, though I thought from the start that she will eventually come with us and guide us with the basics, kind of like a tutorial NPC. So a proposal like this should be no problem. ¡°Okay,¡± ¡°Eh? Really?¡± She replied flusteredly. ¡°Yeah¡± ¡°Really? Really? ," ¡°Y-yeah! I wouldn¡¯t mind, what about you, Riela? ," I glance at Riela to get her confirmation if she would mind that Aru-ia can come with us, it¡¯s because that we¡¯re both visitors, both beginner, both in the same place, so might as well go together. ¡°Ehehe¡­¡± ¡°Uhm.. Reila?¡± ¡° EH? Ah- I¡¯m alright with it.¡± ¡°T-then you should prop-¡± Aru-ia fell silent and coughing for the next moment. ¡°Properly tell me that you want me to your companion." ¡°Urgh.. so troublesome, I already said you can come with us." ¡°R-Right! But there are proper procedures to follow here, but not to worry it only has one instruction given. ," I¡¯m currently getting tired with my exchange with this woman and Riela is quietly looks at us and having fun herself, I don¡¯t understand women, but anyway who does? Resigning myself, I¡¯ll gladly do the procedure this woman is talking about just to end this. ¡°Haa- Fine, what¡¯s the thing I have to do? ," ¡°Glad you understand! ," ¡°And-? ," ¡°A-ah! Yes!, You¡¯ll have to repeat the phrase I¡¯m telling you. ," ¡°And?¡± ¡°Miho, if you irk your eyebrows too much you¡¯ll have wrinkles on your face fast!¡± Riela whispered while smiling. Well you look like you¡¯re having so much fun, unlike me. ¡°Then what is the phrase?¡± ¡°Repeat after me and say in a loud voice, ¡®I¡¯¡± ¡°Haa- fine, I¡± ¡°want you, Aru-ia¡± ¡°WANT YOU, ARU-IA¡± ¡°to be my companion.¡± ¡°TO BE MY COMPANION¡± ¡°forever¡± ¡°FOREVER! ," A light emitted from Aru-ia eyes and shoots up in the sky and the next instant it vanished. Realizing what I just said my face began to burn up, even I can tell that my face can resemble a tomato right now in terms of redness. ¡°Wh-what kind of phrase is that? Are serious? You made me to say such embarrassing phrase. ," Aru-ia then quickly turned to face the other way and that she will prepare for the journey, so she will be leaving for a moment, after saying that she hurriedly gone to the forest as if she is running away from something. I soon began to calm down and tried to think nothing of what just happened because if it would be this way from now on. I might lose my mind not so far in the future. After that, Riela and I introduced ourselves again and think of some clues about why are we here but to no avail we are still in the dark about our situation. Chapter 5+: In the Center of the Island The mixture of green and brown dyed scenery fills my vision. Though one might say it¡¯s pretty and such, having to watch the same thing over and over again, eventually you will definitely get tired of it. Just like having to watch a magic trick being done in front you several times, you will finally become bored of it. Though it may work if someone will blast you, something like ¡®forget what happened gun¡¯ or I might call it ¡®Amnesia-i-nator¡¯, sounds familiar? If it did, yeah, I didn¡¯t come up with that on my own. Well, anyway I along with Riela and led by Aru-ia are lost in this Island. That Aru-ia, she even insisted on leading the way around this island. With some acceptable reasons, we let her lead the way since she is from this world and called herself receiver of the visitors; little did we know that time the consequences of that decision. ************************** ¡°So, where are we going?¡± Riela abruptly ask after Aru-ia came back from woods and rejoined the two of us with 3 large leaves, folded and formed of some sort of container. ¡°We will be going to the center of this island. There should be someone there to transfer us to the Explorer Plains.¡± Aru-ia replied to answer the sudden or perhaps an expected question as she continues to arrange 3 containers then gave us one each. ¡°Explorer Plains? Transfer us?¡± Riela curiously ask as she receives the container, or should I say a small bag. ¡°Yes, you see, this island is like a starting point to you, Visitors, to receive and welcome the beings from another world to our world, which is the main purpose of the Birth Island and me.¡± Aru-ia explained. ¡°And going to the center of this island is a way to get to the Explorer plains,". ¡°And, the Explorer Plains is?¡± Riela follow up question ask. ¡°Explorer Plains will be the first step of the journey of a thousand miles¡± Aru-ia smiles as she answered in vague manner. ¡° ¡­ ¡± A vague answer and an awkward silence then occurred. That concluded the talk with Aru-ia regarding the expedition that we¡¯re going to embark in, and with Riela caressing the temples of her head, too much exposure in talking with that woman will soon take a toll on someone¡¯s brain, seems Riela anticipated quite early so she stops halfway in that conversation. And here I am thinking I could do the same of what she did to me, being a mischievously smiling spectator. ************************** And as of now we are in the middle of nowhere, though the scenery looks great, I think it¡¯s only a simple consolation for being lost here, doesn¡¯t sound too bad. Aru-ia is looking around together with Riela for quite some time now and here I am enjoying the scenery that has been in my view for quite a while now. I see large mountain range blocking the view to the horizon and a big cylindrical megalithic monument at my left, probably where we should go since that the only place where there aren¡¯t threes occupying it and practically the only thing standing out in my field of green trees, not that I¡¯m complaining since it was a forest to begin with, I think. As for why I, the only man in a team consisting of two girls and one guy is enjoying a time just for him, rather than doing the scouting that the two girls are doing. I am a lazy being; person; individual; and existence. All that with head ups high that is my pride and joy. At the very least that¡¯s what I think. In the midst of that time where the meaning of my own existence is slowly being fulfilled, I heard a sudden rustle of grass and a breaking of a brittle branch, a little clich¨¦ but it¡¯s pretty effective, thus bringing the advent of the interruption of ¡®MY TIME¡¯. Yeah, I should it call it that from now on, ¡®MY TIME¡¯. Tentative name as it is, but it will do for now. ¡°Miho, how are the things up there.¡± a voice tried to call out to me Just from hearing that voice, I recognize the one calling me, it was Riela, she seems to be quite fond of calling my name. Currently I am sitting in a branch big and sturdy enough to support a person of a tall tree, I climbed it for two purposes, first is to get a relaxing spot to rest which I am able to do just a moment ago and second to get a bird''s-eye view of our current position and where are we supposed to go from here. ¡°It¡¯s pretty good up here,¡± I jokingly said to invoke a bit envy to her. ¡°Uhm¡­ c-can I climb too?¡± Riela replied with a tone full of enviousness. I was only purely joking on that statement but she did receive it as an honest note. I decided to come down from the tree to report what I saw up there, it was well by the team received since it opens a solution to our current situation and so we marched our way to the direction of which I indicated. Riela and I had a small chat on our way to the monument, I noticed that Aru-ia was quiet for quite some time since we lost our way here with her leading the way, maybe she¡¯s depressed. Based on what has happened during our way here I can barely guess what she is been moping about for a while now but I¡¯ll leave for later. It should make her occupied for the moment, in short getting back at her or some sort of petty revenge. The three of us then arrive at the place of the monument later that day, I guess it is about late afternoon since the sky looks a bit of red, no maybe orange is a better color to describe it. Upon closer inspection the place is like a large empty reception hall with eight giant spiked pillars of stone stretching to the sky, very much similar to the place where I first woke up in this island, and played upon; but with different designs in each pillar and in the middle a small floating orb is placed. Aru-ia dispirited aura vanished when we were just more or less 20 or 15 steps away from the border of the monument place, I somehow missed that depressed Aru-ia just now and with her brimming with energy she told us that she will go ahead of which Riela and I permitted. She then ran off with a graceful running, graceful enough to question myself why I call it that, Riela as always just observe the event with amusement in her eyes. When both of us, arrived at the border of the place Aru-ia was standing there along with 7 girl-like figures, each with different features, maybe these are the representative of the other races that Aru-ia mentions in her story, with distinction of the respective race characteristics that each of these representatives have, they all resembles a human physique. ¡°Welcome to the Core of Birth Island! Our dear, Visitors! ," The eight bows slowly with elegance and grace, just like princesses bowing before their prince, let it slide that I am the prince for now. They stood up after with Aru-ia wearing a gleeful smile, enough to make you forget she was depressed a while ago. ¡°Ah¡­ Nice to meet you, I¡¯m Riela¡±, she introduced herself with a smile and a waving hand. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original.¡°I-I¡¯m Miho, nice to meet all of you!¡± I said as to follow-up after Riela in our introduction to the group. While I was it, I noticed that everyone eyes except for Aru-ia is blank, more like lifeless of some sort. I discussed it with Riela shortly after our small the introduction to the group that greeted us a while ago. Sensing that the greetings are done, the group of representatives bowed to us and began walking towards the floating orb thing at the center of the place in synch. Are they Dolls? Maybe those so called NPC¡¯s? Either way they¡¯re weird, the greeting they made so hollow like a robot. DOLLS I¡¯ll call them that from now on. With the expression and the way they act, it¡¯s as if they are just puppets made to follow a certain order, nothing more nothing less, all except for Aru-ia. Why is that though? ... And I think I shouldn¡¯t venture on too much on that topic for now so I¡¯ll leave it as that. Aru-ia then leaves the group of representative and heads towards us, running---again¡­ gracefully. [How can you even run gracefully?] I¡¯m thinking another useless thought, ugh¡­ she will again talk to me in my mind again if I keep this up, So I have to free my mind of these useless thoughts. Now that I mentioned it, she hasn¡¯t done the talking with my mind thing since we left that spot, maybe she is being considerate for some reason. Ah! Yes I remember the term for that, Telepathy. I¡¯ll call it that from now on since calling it ¡®taking with someone¡¯s mind¡¯ is too long. While I was in that shallow thought the DOLLS have already gathered around the floating orb and started talking of some sort of language I didn¡¯t understand but vaguely I thought they were chanting some spell then the orb started to become large, large enough to cover the whole area beneath it, us included. Riela was too engrossed at the sight of the orb enlargement engulfing the whole area that she didn¡¯t notice that Aru-ia is already beside her, apparently trying to do a prank but failed miserably since Riela is ignoring her. Feeling dejected that she cannot handle the current state of Riela, she then directed her attention to me while walking towards me. [Well, aren¡¯t you a sore loser¡­] ¡°Shall I tell you the purpose of the big orb?¡± Aru-ia casually says. ¡°Nah! I think it has something to do with going to the explorer plains that you mention¡± ¡°Heh...So, you actually listened huh?¡± ¡°You make it sound like I never listened to anything¡± ¡°Well you do have that aura!¡± ¡°Excuse me for that then¡± ¡°You¡¯re pardoned.¡± ¡°That was easy, maybe I should have not listened at all.¡± I replied while shrugging my shoulders. ¡°Well, that should pose you some trouble in the future then.¡± Aru-ia giggles as she answered. As we continued to chat away with nonsensical things, the orb had stopped its enlargement; it became so big enough that I could only see the lower hemisphere of the orb. Will it crash and flatten us out? The scary and funny of a thought ran through my mind while I was being led by Aru-ia toward the center of the place where the orb was initially placed with the DOLLS gathering around it. ¡°I think it won¡¯t crush and flatten us out, Miho¡± Riela said suddenly interrupting my thoughts, while walking beside me with the same pace of the dragging Aru-ia. [Huh? Riela you can also read minds?] Riela stares at me curiously then clasp her hands as if she already figured out something she been wondering. ¡°Ehehe¡­ Nope, I didn¡¯t read you mind, Miho¡± Riela said with all smiles. [Ugh¡­ Spot on, are all girls¡¯ mind readers?] ¡°Ehehe¡­ In some way or another, a woman can read a man¡¯s mind, you know!¡± ¡°Hmmm¡­is that so¡± ¡°It is so, Miho¡± Yep! Better avoid interacting to girls from here on out. And she really had taken a liking to mutter my name out loud. Odd girl, Yes An odd girl but nice Still an odd girl With that our little chat end and now in front of the DOLLS bowing their heads at the beautifully done 45 degrees angle, I think. And at the center of them where the previously small orb was placed, and now is an enormous orb floating above us waiting for a chance to flatten the things beneath it, is a glowing white thin line that connects the ground and the south pole of the floating orb. The orb then began to move clock-wise and stopped when it has reached 90 degrees angle making the thin line large. It¡¯s like the view of a chopping board The thing I compared it, might be a little distasteful but it sure does makes things easier to understand. [ Now what? ] Seriously now what? Chapter 6+: Tittle-Tattle Before Departure A water slide (also referred to as flumes, water chutes, or hydroslides) is a type of slide designed for warm-weather or indoor recreational use at water parks. Water slides differ in their riding method and therefore size. Some slides require riders to slide directly on the slide, or on a raft or tube designed to be used with the slide. A typical water slide uses a pump system to pump water to the top which is then allowed to freely flow down its surface. The water reduces friction so sliders travel down the slide very quickly. Water slides run into a swimming pool or a long run-out chute. A lifeguard is usually stationed at the top and the bottom of the slide, so that if a rider gets hurt they will be treated immediately. And some slides are designed to be ridden with a tube which typically seats either two or three riders Inline. The Inline Tube Slides. Ah... The wonders of the slides. Now, on to the matter at hand. The reason for such unnecessary information dump had occupied my thoughts that it looks like it was taken from the largest and most popular general reference work on the internet, the ''something''-pedia. Well if you do find something of the sort sue me perhaps,or not, please don''t. It is just mind storming or is it brain storming since the thing that bothered me in the last few paragraphs and a chapter or should I say moments ago is elated to the topic of water slides. The undying glow of light from below the enormously large sphere floating above us to the ground where we are standing is just a slide. Well maybe not just a slide, a very wide slide and a light slide. I didn''t worded that properly, huh? A broad tube of light that I initially called a chopping board for being so wide and rephrased now that I am close to it, it appears to be a solidified inline tube slide of light or tube slide of light. To put it into a simpler explanation it looks like a tube slide that is made of light, you get the idea. And I think there are no life guards at the end of this slide. Such thoughts! BEGONE!! Amidst these thoughts of mine the two beside me are having a ''prideful'' look and the other is an ''amazement to the fullest'' look, which namely are Aru-ia and Riela, though I don''t understand why does Aru-ia have the prideful aura. " Hooo. Not bad, not bad " Aru-ia mutters silently to herself with smile on her face,as if she the one responsible for the scene happening in front of us. You''re not the one who did the ''Tube Slide of Light'' thing, the DOLLS did. " Miho, Miho, Miho " The very enthusiastic one, Riela. She is tugging my sleeves for quite some time now, and why are you repeating my name so many times, just saying it once will suffice. Thus I will converse with her because my sleeves might come off if I didn''t. "Hmm? What is the matter?" "Eh? Where''s my name?" "Eh?" "My name. Why didn''t you say it?" What am I missing here? Does she want her name to be said by other people that much? Let us go with that logic then. She really like her name to be stated by other people huh. Well because I''m an understanding individual, I''ll handle this in a very smooth way or manner, Suave if you may. "W-W-what is it R-R-Riela?" The stuttering has began, when you''re conscious about what your are doing it will suddenly became awkward. especially with the things you aren''t really fond doing, in my case talking to the opposite gender with name attachment thing. It is bad for me who rarely interact with them, girls I mean. I thought I was fine but with complete strangers it will always be a separate matter. "Ehehe..." There it is again! That bashful reaction, it only adds to the awkward mood that is happening right now. "EHERM! NOT BAD! NOT BAD!" A coughing of some sort is heard behind me and quite increase of volume. Well someone wants some attention, isn''t that an ideal situation to get out from this awkward mood.This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. "Miho, Do you think that light is hot?" Another tugging of my sleeves occurs when I tried to looked behind me to see what Aru-ia is doing. Tug---- Attention Acquired! So let''s answer the person who got our attention. The tugger. "Hmm. I''m not sure but from this distance I haven''t felt any heat and we are fairly near the light, so I think it''s not" "So Miho, there is also a possibility that that thing is hot, right?" "Let''s see, there is also that possibility, yes!" "You''re not denying it huh? Miho" "Hmm? why would I deny it?" "NOTHING~ it just seems like you are a person bound by the common sense of the original world here." Are you implying that you aren''t? It''s a shock to me, does that mean that all this time I''m the only one confronting these foreign things with caution and bewilderment? My intake of these situation are gradually being tested. BUT! Stay strong ME! "Well, yes that maybe true... But-" "But?" "As of now, WE are not in our world, as Aru-ia may have said or just trying to trick us of some sort, so I think its safe to assume that anything can happen at any moment. Consider it as being open-minded or being flexible in a sense but to be restricted by common sense here might be quite naive. " Though that maybe contradicting to what I really think. I silently thought. "That''s a long speech, Miho" "Well, sorry for being a president in an uncharted country!" "Eh? just when did you become president?" "Just a while ago" "Eh" "And by the way, I won by no competition at all, a landslide victory if I may say so, aren''t I great and all?" "So when is your state of the nation address then?" "I resigned just now" "That''s too abrupt!" "It has dawned upon me that being a president of a country is too troublesome, so I step down maybe you should be president for me, Riela" And Riela pouts and turn the other way. Did I get her in a bad mood? Hopefully not because as it stands she the only one person whom I think is the closest to what I am experiencing right now and I don''t want to be hated either way. "So you think through these things" A wild Aru-ia whispers to my ears. What will you do? TALK What? that the only option? I sigh internally in resignation of this type of situation. "What things?" "A lot of things, like being prepared for unexpected things, useless things, somethings, unthings" "You do know that you said the word ''things'' three times in a row and the last one of them isn''t even a word" "You are indeed listening! that really good to hear!" Clap! Clap! Clap! It that a praise or something else? "Though I deliberately said that to know whether you''re listening or not" "That''s a roundabout way of doing it and its quite forced" "Back to topic then...your thoughts?" I sigh as I raised the white flag again to this girl. "Haa.. I think that is given that I do that since I experience something I shouldn''t have since I came here." "Hmmm... So about the talk about the light being hot" You didn''t even want to talk about what I said in the first place. Changing the topic eh? What is with the sudden change? "Yeah, what about it?" "Would you dare to touch it if its hot?" "I think its common sense that you''re not supposed to touch things that are hot." "Hoo... ''but to be restricted by common sense here might be quite naive'' isn''t that your exact words to Riela?" With a cute smile she replied. Urgh... My own words are used against me. Again. "Err... " "Haven''t thought of a comeback to that huh?" "Yes indeed, as you say" "So, do you think you can touch it with your bare hands if its really hot?" "You really wouldn''t let go of that topic, and rather it escalated really quick!" "It started already, ending it with a vague end is bad, so humor me for now" I sigh as I resign to my further resistance to her, again. "Haa... Okay I''ll gladly ride along." How many white flags will I raise to this girl. "Good! So your reply with touching it bare handed?" "Why would I even touch a thing that might burn me barehanded?" "Well... Curiosity perhaps?" Titling her head, she honestly replied to me.Are you a closet sadist or something? "Sorry to say but I am not a type of person that will exchange his life or a body part in this case just to satisfy his own curiosity, in fact I will just stay curious at it till the end of my life, and why are you even so persistent of me touching it bare-handed?" "Well, I learned from the past visitors tha came before you two that being a boy they are bound to have limitless or unnecessary curiosity tendencies so I might as well support you in the way... and you''re really are proud of your statement, huh?" And again with the titling of the head. What is this? a sudden advertising of certain animation studio? "As far as I know, boys should be ambitious not curious." Well maybe there maybe a time that they are that curious when there are alot of things that humanity does not know. "Is that so. Hmm... Then let us put it in a what-if scenario that you touch it" "Apparently before curiosity there is something called self-preservation of humans" "Meaning?" "It means if something might harm you, in this case of the what-if scenario that you put up me with i''ll wear something that will protect me from the heat." "Meaning?" "I will put you as a gloves for me, to see if it''s hot or not" "Uwah..So cold and cruel" Then put her hands over her mouth. What''s so shocking about that? You''re the one that wanted the what-if scenario, I just ride along with you. Though the question of me doing what I said in that what-if scenario with be forever be a question though that will be unlikely. "How so?" I cross my arms to stand my ground. "So tell me about the animal called Bear in your world" She asked me a question. Another question. That is entirely not connected to what we are talking about moments ago. What in the blue barnacles did this question concluded from? "Huh?" "I ask you to tell me about an animal called Bear in you world" "Where did that came from?" "I just thought about it for a moment since we are talking about you touching something bare-handed, you know bare and bear, sounds similar right?" Ah... so that''s where it comes from, makes sense but still... "There is word for that. Hmm." She closed her eyes while remembering the word for the similar sounding words. But lets beat her to the race and provide her the answer. "It''s rhyme" "Yes, that!" I think that is the first time that I outsmarted her, though outsmarted maybe a wrong word for the moment but that is the only I can think for now, Yes, its a petty goal. I know. "What''s with that truimphant look for? " "A celebration for the short-lived victory of my life." "Isn''t that supposed to be written in your monologue and not let me hear about it?" "Yeah, it is ''Supposed'' but the author got bored and let what my mind should be saying to be said out loud. " "That was meant to be a joke, you know!" "Ah-" "And who is the author you ar-----" "STOP" Along with the cross arms in front of me I shouted and posed. ULTRAMA-