The memories of that one summer day when I first watched that anime. With that short period of time, I was captivated by its magic. After that day, I immediately went and looked around my dad's drawers searching for some pens and paper. I've never really taken the arts seriously before, but, due to my father's history, I already had some background with it. That was probably the first time I've ever found joy in doing it.

Ever since that day my way of life changed, I would pick up the pen and start drawing relentlessly. I would watch more anime, and even get into the world of manga at one point. Then afterwards, I'll go and draw the scenes and characters I've seen. Those days were something I truly enjoyed. After all, it was the most fun hobby anyone could have. However, sooner or later the harsh realities of life would hit me.

"..."

Due to some circumstances that happened around my grade school. The time I had for drawing shortened, to the point there were days I didn't touch the pen. Until one day, it was something I've completely forgotten. That was probably my biggest mistake.

"Tsk..."

Each stroke I put onto the paper, the more dissatisfied I felt. This wasn't right, if it were them they would've done this better. Each mark I added only made my growing frustration even worse. On my desk right now, was a failed attempt of what you call an illustration.

Yes, I eventually found myself back to drawing. A few years was all it took, but I've finally gotten the chance to hold the pen again. It was around when I had a discussion about my future with my mother. That was when I remembered a passion I had once forgotten. And so, for my birthday my parents had bought me a drawing tablet. That was the day I started art seriously.

"Aaagh! I can't take it anymore!"

With all my pent up frustrations, I let the pen I was holding go and let it all out. One of my friends minding their own business around me was startled from my sudden behavior.

"Gue-!? Don't scare me like that.."

"... It's probably the usual."

The startled young man with bright orange hair just now was none other than, Vincent Hunter, or as I call him Vince. He is a member of my school's basketball team, and its one and only Ace. Not only that, he also possesses a quite handsome face, making him quite popular to the girls. The one who replied to him, the one currently glued to his phone was my other friend Michael Graves. Despite his quite flabby body however, you'd be surprised by the amount of times he overpowered me in any sort of physical activity. I guess that rumor of fat people having strong muscles underneath was true.

https%3A%2F%2Fi.imgur.com%2F6FHN6UB.png [https://i.imgur.com/6FHN6UB.png]

"Oh, it's nothing. I was just having some trouble with getting the face right."

"Hmm? It looks normal to me though?"

"Haha..."

Letting out an awkward laugh, I went back to the drawing at hand. I guess to normal people it looks alright, however they lack the keen eyes us artists have. All I see are the flaws in this drawing, it was nothing close to the captivating works of art I've seen before. It doesn't have that same magic to it. For the rest of our break, I worked on that sketch before having to scratch it in the end.

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"EHHHHH?!!"

Echoing throughout the school hallways was none other than the voice of Michael. Currently it was the after school hours, and we were walking on the way out of school. Just earlier. he was on his phone scrolling down his feed, before suddenly screaming. Oi, people have started to look you know? Vince aside, our popularity was already at the very bottom. I'd rather not have to drag his as well.

"Mike... Did something happen?"

"Something happened? It was announced you know?! ToSoftwares' newest game, Aging Ring!"

"Huh? I-is that so????"

"That was it?!"

After hearing this man's reasoning, I subconsciously shouted back, getting even more attention to us. Having watched this scene in front of me, I couldn't help but feel sorry for Vince's wasted concern. With just a glance at the man's face, it was very obvious that he had not a single clue on what this bastard was on about.

"What do you mean that was it?! It's Aging Ring you know!?"

"Like that explains anything!?"

"Oh for god's sake, how could you not know?! It's the most anticipated RPG to come this year!"

"And that made you think you could start screaming?! Do you know how low our reputation is already?!"

Us going back and forth like this only made people gather even more. Among the crowd were sneers and annoyed gazes. But honestly, I was too in the moment to even care. In the end, Vince could only watch us with an awkward look on his face, while he apologized to the other students. You might have wondered how a man this popular even hanged out with us. Well despite his looks, he was quite the serious anime fan himself. That, and the fact Mike and I kept going into trouble with each other, that someone needed to keep us in check.

"Haa.... With this, my school life is truly over..."

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I lamented to myself after we had gotten away from the crowd. Even now, I still felt the disgusted look of the other students.

"Did you really think it even had a life in the beginning?"

"Shut the hell up, you diabetic fuck!"

"Oh, you're barking back lolicon?"

"This is the reason why people don't like you two, you know?"

Vince interjected, trying to put some reason behind our already empty brains. Instead however, we both turned to him in unison and said.

"Oh like you're any better! Didn't someone try to ask you out back there?"

"Yeah! How many times was it this month now?! I thought it was bros before hoes, you traitorous bitch!"

"Eh? Uhh.. Well, that person was probably just being friendly don't you think?"

You've got to be kidding me, surely, he couldn't be this dense. No matter how one looked at it, but that girl was practically had hearts on her eyes talking to you!

"Seriously, at this point I don't know if you're doing it on purpose..."

"Exactly, just a week ago you had two people confess to you. What's more, that happened in twp consecutive days!"

"Well, I didn't really know those two, so I..."

"Give it up Mike, this guy clearly only has eyes for the council president"

"Ella's just a friend you know..."

"Whatever you say."

"You two really get along in the weirdest things..."

Vince told us with an exasperated look on his face. Huh. What was he talking about? This bastard and I got along, not a chance in hell! Seriously, I don't even know why I hanged out with him. After that entire thing, Michael and Vince went back on their conversation while we walked down the halls. That was when my phone made a buzzing sound, immediately I took it out in order to check it. There I saw message notification from someone named Ce.Lik@.

「Yo～ did you see that recent announcement? !(^^)!」

"Ah, it's Celika..."

They were someone I met back when I was really addicted into MMOs. Though, I've since stopped playing that game. At the time, she was a senior at the guild I joined. We got along, so we kept in touch even after the guild disbanded. From what I heard, she was currently working as a pharmacist.

「The one about Aging Ring? Yeh, a friend of mine was fussing over it　(-_-;)」

「I mean, that game is bound to be hit you know～ Anyways, are you going to get it? I heard it had a multiplayer function」

「Of course! not. I doubt my current device can't even run it」

「Right, your PC sucks ass... Perhaps, I should buy you a new one heh (・∀・)」

「Really?! As expected of a proper working adult!」

「Oi! I was just joking! Don't act as if that was already decided! (>_<)!!」

"Pftt!"

I let a small laugh out as I continued talking to Celika. Talking to her like this was really fun, I thought to myself. Perhaps, a bit too fun that I didn't notice what was about to transpire.

"Cliff, watch out!"

"Eh, huh?"

Breaking me out of my trance was none other than Vince. He had a panicked expression on his face as he called out to me. By the time I heard his warning, I've had already stepped off the stairs. I was so glued on my phone that I didn't realize we were already at the flight of stairs down.

Instinctively, I grabbed on to the closest thing to me, which was none other than Michael. However, just like I, he was also surprised from the sudden situation and lost his balance from the sudden force of me grabbing on to him. Vince who was right across the both of us tried to grab Michael, but due to our combined weight, it did nothing but drag him down as well. I turned to the ground, and saw the hard floor we were falling to. I closed my eyes and held my arms to cover my face, there I braced for the incoming impact.

However, none of it came. Instead what hit me was the cold temperature spreading throughout my body, and the loud splash of water. I felt a sharp sting entering my nose as something quickly entered it. When I opened my eyes, I found myself in the middle of a large body of water. Around me were some rock formations with a few algae growing on it. I also noticed as various fish were swimming away from us.

What the? Before I could even make sense of what was happening, a terrifying realization came to me. I for a fact, in the entire sixteen years I've lived not once have I ever swam. In a panic, I started kicking my legs and flailing my arms around in hopes of resurfacing up. However, it instead accelerated my descent. I felt as my heart pumping faster, while my adrenaline went up as fast as my lungs ran out of air.

Are you kidding me, Is this how I was going to die?!? As I mulled over the strange situation I found myself in. I suddenly felt a tug from behind me, soon I was slowly pulled out to the shore. There I was on my knees, coughing the water that had gotten into my system. Instantly, I felt as air came back to my lungs allowing me to breath. Just a second too late and that would've been bad.

"HAagh... Ha.,... ha..."

"A-are you alright... Haa..."

I looked to my right to find the owner of the voice that called me. There I found Vince completely soaked with water, his hair that once resembled a blazing flame has been completely doused. It appeared that it was him that pulled me out. Behind him, I also see Michael just as wet gasping for air at the side.

"Haa.. T-thanks... I thought, I- haaa... was a goner there..."

"Thank god I made it in time..."

i saw as a wave of relief flushed over Vince's face. For a moment I thought my heart had skipped a beat seeing his heroic figure. What was I thinking right now? This wasn't the time for such things! First of all where the hell even are we? I ran my eyes around my surroundings. In front of me was a large body of water spanning around a kilometer or so. Surrounding it were the lines of trees, indicating a forest. Instead of meeting the bright orange of the afternoon, I was instead met by a bright blue sky. There above were a few hare-like creatures with a light blue fur flying. Around it, I could almost see the hints of rainbow colored light surrounding the creature. However, despite all of that, what caught my attention was something else entirely.

Just by looking at it, I felt my eyes almost being blinded, and following it was a painful sensation in my head. I instantly turned away from it, however the scenery I caught a glimpse of had already been burnt to my memory. There, right above the azure, was a giant crack in the sky. The surrounding space around it seemed distorted, twisting back and forth like magma. Pouring from it were various blinding lights shining like a bright rainbow. Just remembering it was enough to make my stomach turn and vision hazy.

"Cliff, are you feeling well? You're as pale as a ghost."

Vince who was beside me seemed to have noticed my reaction and asked for my well being. Afraid to look at the sky again, I just pointed upwards and said.

"Do-don't you see it... That thing..."

"Huh, what thing?"

"There... up in the sky!"

"I-it's daytime? huh, I guess that's weird. But to be that afraid is a bit..."

Huh, what is he talking about? How can he have such a normal reaction, especially after seeing that thing?! Weirded out by his reaction, I turned back to the sky and found the same imagery before me. Having seen it before had eased the intensity of its effects. But even then. seeing that thing still brought chills down my back.

"It's daytime? Huh, wasn't it already the afternoon?"

"Yeah, it seems like it... Di-did time perhaps go backwards?"

"Oi! What's with those reactions?! Do you guys, not see that thing?"

"What thing?"

"Hmmm?? Oh, I see it now! Vince, look in the sky!"

"Huh? I-is that a flying bunny?"

"Woah!? I've never seen anything like that before! Is that what got you so afraid Cliff? Come on now man, it's just a rabbit."

Having seen their somewhat amazed reaction, a creeping feeling had crawn over my back. How could have they not seen that thing? Ha-have I completely lost it?

Just what the hell is going on?!