--The Uninvited Guest--

Ordinary World

Ella's eyes constricted as she focused on the massive circle in front of her that taking up most of the bedroom. The aquatic fire around the ring, moved as fluid grace of a swaying corals in the current, its flames undulating gently as if dancing in an underwater ballet. And the center's surface was smooth and undisturbed similar to the lake that seemed to be mysterious despite its calmness. It felt like staring into a dream. She observed and wondered if she was hallucinating like the way she thought on the first day of the world stopping.

"What in the world..." she said slowly.

Before her mind could even register its presence, suddenly, Michiko moved closer to the edge of the fiery ring, causing her fear to spike. "No, Michiko, don't!" But as her cat began to hiss, her hand stopped in mid-air, unsure whether to risk agitating him further or to let him confront whatever had disturbed him. And to her surprise, she watched as the flame touched around his fur but didn't even burn.

Each hiss from the cat seemed to punctuate the tension in the room as his fangs bared and his fur puffed-up - ready to attack. What something behind the flame that making Michiko behave like that? Not too long, a silhouette figure became visible. It was moving! She urged, grabbing her cat protectively as she picked the baseball bat under the bed. With each step backward, her nerves frayed as the unidentified presence approaching. Then, a squeaky voice began to hear.

"[ You, ]" it began. "[ You look horrified. ]"

A soul left her body in a split second. Who wouldn't look so shocked seeing a seemingly stuffed toy speak as if possessed by a demon? It was talking to her! A small, doll-sized creature with silvery hair that billowed around its delicate form. Its crystal-blue eyes framed by long, fluttering lashes, giving it dreamlike look. At first glance, the creature appeared innocent but upon closer inspection, its slender hands boast razor-sharp nails that hint at a hidden strength and danger. The creature's skin was milky-white and luminescent, with a texture like that of a white dragon's scales, and its ears were shaped like half-folded butterfly wings.

"Stay back, demon!" Her grip on the baseball bat tightened as she aimed it.

Was she really on Earth? She considered this as rationally as one could in such a odd situation. Impossible things had become possible—from the world stopping to seeing a creature that should only exist in a movie. But what exactly was it? These past few days, she thought she might still be dreaming, but no, this nightmare was as real as it got. She was alone with her cat, witnessing everything.

"[Ella Sanford from Planetary Earth]"

Moreover, the creature knew her name. As if its purpose was directly to her when it addressed her. Was it an alien? Theoretically, it might be. Especially since a meteor had landed near her apartment earlier. But where was the meteor? The creature must be the reason the whole building remained intact and shooting star's disappearance. Her cat sprang from her arms, inexplicably walked towards the creature. Then, she cried out again as her cat, who moments ago had been hissing and baring his fangs, now nestled affectionately. The creature gently stored Michiko's fur and said.

"[I'm no harm.]"

Its squeaky voice crept Ella but when the creature began to show off something. Her eyes wide-opened with awe when it suddenly emitted a radiant golden imprint as it hovered in the air. Her gaze followed it. The sight reminded her of a fairy from a children's storybook, with its glittering aura and very fine features. Even her cat usually so wary of strangers, appeared enchanted by the sight. This thing might look magical, but she doubted it.

"What...what exactly are you?"

"[I'm a Haken]," it declared.

She thought it was a fairy but appeared to be a Haken. What in the world was that? Haken? She had never heard of such a creature before, not in any fairy tale or fantasy novel she had ever read. The Haken descended onto Michiko's back, and explained that it was a being tasked with seeking out potential contract companions across the vast expanse of the cosmos. Because of that, Ella speculated that it must be here for business.

The Haken then confirmed her thoughts, but she was still bothered by why this creature had come to her apartment...and her world? She thought it should be in a company or with a businessman, making contracts.

In response, the Haken laughed which made her feel like it was mocking her. She brandished her baseball bat threateningly, making its laughter trailed off as it regarded her with a curious expression. Slowly, it closed its mouth, and opened again.

"[You're my intended contractual partner]."

"What nonsense are you spewing about?"

It descended from Michiko's back and approached slowly.

"[Contracts can be formed in even the most unlikely of places. Often, they can be made on the road, in forests, or even in the middle of the ocean.]"

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"How tf do those places even become spots for making business moves?"

It smiled, but she furrowed. Then, it started to notice the surroundings of her room as it sat down and leaned against Michiko's stomach. It observed that everything was soulless. Additionally, the Haken was surprised to find that Ella and her cat were not affected by the phenomenon at all.

From the moment she saw the flash movements at the sky until meeting the uninvited guest in her apartment, the thoughts about being alone in a motionless world had skidded for awhile. The Haken continued, explaining that this was the first time it had visited a star where everything had stopped. It wondered aloud about the cause but it didn't matter since it had sole purpose in Earth anyway - make a contract with her immediately. So, it started to offer.

"[I assure you, any wish you desire shall be mine to fulfill.]"

It was sound ridiculous for Ella and it reflected to her brow that stretched together. "Hey, you claimin' you can grant any wish? Right, sure thing. If I say, wake me up from this hellhole,' you gonna actually do it or what?" she scoffed.

But the Haken clarified to her that everything happening here was not even a dream. And the creature also was part of it. At the matter of wish, if Ella wanted to get everything back to normal, this would be a modest request compared to what Haken was capable of offering.

Her doubt began to waver as she considered the possibility that this strange being truly had the power to grant her deepest desire.

"[Is it what you desire the most, isn't it?]"

"What the... are you like, a god from another planet?"

Could this strange creature truly be a god to make such a promise?

"[Call me what you will, yet I am no God.]"

Then, with a swift motion, the Haken snapped its little fingers, and suddenly, a multitude of screens showed up in the air around them. Each screen displayed a different scenario from Ella's life, exhibiting moments of embarrassment, failure, and disappointment. All were negative.

"[Your admission to a prestigious university shall be my guarantee.]"

One screen showed the moment at the bus stop when she discovered her name wasn't on the list of those who passed the university entrance exam.

"[Any person you hold dear shall be ensnared in the depths of infatuation.]"

Another screen displayed the same day and location at the bus stop, where she saw Cedric with another girl.

"[Wealth and luxury shall be yours; a grand mansion and ample funds will be yours to command.]"

A third screen showed her landlord harassing her in the middle of the night for rent, with most of her salary going straight to apartment bill payments.

Those screens were making Ella felt overwhelm with frustration as she watched them. Watching those moments of her life, sense of helplessness even grew stronger like making her feeling exposed. The Haken had no right to do this! How could ---

"[I have granted the wishes of my contracted partners, without regard for their morality or character.]"

So, how far-reaching were the consequences of those fulfilled wishes? And what price did its partners pay for such power? Staring at the screens float in the air was undesirable. As a further matter, when one of them changed, showing a scene from her past. A past she wanted to bury in the deepest part of the Earth. It was the day her friend Anna died, right before her eyes. Her heart submerged as those memories rushed back, hitting her like a ton of bricks. Panic rose within, suffocating her as she relived that moment of loss. Her breaths were shallow, and her hands started to tremble. It was as if the pain of that day was happening all over again, right in front of her.

"[I can assist you to obliterate this dark past of yours.]"

It extended an unexpected offer which quelled the panic a bit that had been building inside her. The idea of releasing the burden of her darkest memories tempted her like it gave a tiny bit of hope in the middle of despair.

She opened her mouth, "Hold up, wait a minute. So what went down afterwards with those peeps you were workin' with?"

The Haken swayed Michiko's fluffy tail and stood up.

"[They each lived an existence true to their desires.]"

Turning back to the Haken, Ella noticed a sudden change in its leverage. It was now knelt with its right knee on the ground, a look of vulnerability clouding its body. Warning signs began to shine unsteadily and float around the creature along with static on the screens.

"Hey! WTF is goin' on?"

Ignoring her question, the Haken continued to speak in its squeaky tone but in weak state.

"[How long will you endure your monotonous life?]" it questioned. "[You're trapped in the world where nothing else to see but inert beings. This is not a dream... it is your reality. Awaken to the truth and break free from this confinement.]"

The truth in its words was like a bitter pill to swallow, but, Ella couldn't deny the painful truth in what the Haken was saying. Like, it seriously hit hard. She couldn't help but kind of agree with Haken's assessment.

"Why me tho? Like, why did this all have to happen to me? I'm just so confused, it's trippin' me out. Why?"

"[You, and only you, have the exceptional qualities that make you eligible to become my contractual partner.]"

The Haken's response left her baffled. Why would someone as unfortunate as her be considered as worthy? But in that moment, a tiny spark of hope started to shine through her trouble mind.

"So, about that contract. I gotta know – how many times can I ask for wishes?"

The Haken's smirk hinted at its proximity to achieving its objective. And she was hyped up, thinking it'd be like getting wishes from a genie or something. Unfortunately, it wasn't as she hoped for.

[ Only one. ]

[ One wish is all it takes...]

[Consider the wish carefully to avoid heavy consequences.]

After the creature uttered, the warnings began to echo ominously inside the room. As the irritation from the buzzing sound kept going, Ella squinted at the static screens surrounding them.

"How much longer you gonna keep that annoying noise goin'? And what's with all these floatin' screens?"

With a snap of its fingers, the Haken swiftly dispelled the static screens, leaving her in a state of perplexity. But the persistent sound remained.

"The sound... It's so loud, my eardrums are about to burst or somethin'. Hey!"

"[I apologize, that's to be outside my immediate control...]"

"[Unless you sign a contract.]"

The Haken's complexity staggered Ella's understanding. It possessed the power to grant extraordinary wishes, yet it couldn't silence a little annoyance. She observed as she trying to tolerate the sound. Just then, as she noticed the Haken's weakened state, its knee still pressed to the ground. A suspicion formed in her mind. Could it be that the warning was somehow linked to the Haken's condition?

She stared at the Haken, ready to voice her questions, but it beat her to it.

"[Hear me, mortal. I offer you a bargain. Make a contact with me....]"

"[ Death is upon me.]"

The words showed up in the air, each of them flashing moderately.

[[ Warning! Your 'Presence' is extremely low! ]]

[[ Warning! Your body is severely in danger! ]]

[[ Warning! Warning! ]]

[[ Warning! ]]