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Journey of Vessels
Day 14 Part 2: The Test of Change

Day 14 Part 2: The Test of Change

A rogue breeze sweeps across their path.

An enigma, the pond before them unfurls, its intrigue stirring a sea of questions, yet offering no answers.

Kanji "What... What is this place? An illusion? Or Was it just an error with the boat's AI?"

Gwen "No that can't be right. I've checked my P.T.A. The geological coordinate is 100 percent accurate."

Kanji "Not to delevel your technology, but I'm going to check my device. Just to double-check...... Yep, We are in the right place."

Azan "What must we do now, Kanji?"

Kanji "First, we check if this location is an illusion. Anyone willing to volunteer?"

Mina "I'll go! I'm a good swimmer!"

Azan "Wait, Mina! We don't know what's in there!"

Mina "Don't worry, Azzy. I'll be fine!"

Azan "Fine... you can go. But you need to prepare."

Kanji "Alright, then it's decided. Adrian, do you still have some rope left over from last time?"

Adrian "Yes, Kanji. This is the last of it. Do you want me to tie it around her waist?"

Kanji "Correct and keep holding it. In case, there's trouble. Now, Mina, are you ready?"

Mina nods to her leader before diving into the waters below.

In her voyage towards the land, a shift begins to ripple through the waters.

Mina "What?! Why is it getting further away?! Come back here!"

Fueled by resolve, she strains every muscle, her arms threatening to surrender to exhaustion. As she parts the water, an illusion unfolds— the further she escapes from the boat, the more the aquatic expanse appears to stretch...

Until there's nothing but an infinite, blue canvas— where the ocean waltzes with the horizon, leaving no trace of a boundary, in any direction.

Mina "What's happening?! Damn, I can't see the boat!"

Mina races back, in a desperate search for her origin. Her friends are lost from view.

Exhaustion seizes her.

Mina "I...c-can't... d... do...this. Must... t-think... of... som-something."

Cornered, Mina musters her remaining strength, wrenching the rope as if her life depends on it.

In response, it tugs her back.

Mina "Th-Thank... god."

She passes out.

...

Azan "Adrian! Hurry! Pull her up!"

Adrian "Alright!"

He hoists the young lady from the water, his palms slick with... No, this is...

Kanji "This smell... It's seawater. That shouldn't be possible! Unless this entire pond is made of it."

Gwen "Nope, the liquid of the pond is no doubt fresh water. However..."

She commands Izzybot. Its branches extend, taking a sample of the deceptive fluid.

Gwen "Give me a sec... Let's see here... Ah huh. What's on her is a mixture of the two. Strange, this area appears to not only distort our perspective but also the metaphysical component of space-time."

Kanji "Reality bending properties. That means the next level-up would most definitely be Amelia.

Amelia "Golly, I'm a bit... nervous to be honest with you. What will it test me with?"

Claire "Cheer up Amy! It will be alright, we got your back. Besides, I don't think it will be something painful."

Amelia "Many thanks, Claire. Perhaps you're right. So... should we proceed or should we wait for Mina?"

Kanji "I say we wait for Mina to wake up... we need answers."

Minutes dwindle away. At last, consciousness stirs within Mina.

Mina "Huh! Wha?! Where am I?! What happened?!"

Bracing herself against the floor, she expels a torrent of water in a fit of coughing.

Kanji "There. There. Mina. You were out cold trying to return to the ship."

Mina "Oh, I see. Fuck! I never thought I would become afraid of the ocean, but now I... I. Never mind that! Tell me what happened?! Did you guys see me traveling to the sea?!"

Azan "No... when you were approaching the edge of the pond and you vanished into thin air. It was instant."

Mina "What about the rope?"

Azan "Yeah, the rope was floating in the air. The rest of its length also disappeared along with you."

Mina "Oh... welp. How do we get through this?"

Kanji "Mina, have you tried steering a boat before?"

Mina "Of course! Heck! I even once drove an entire cruise!"

Kanji "Excellent, then I want you to drive this vessel forward. No change in direction. Got it! Just keep going forward. Perhaps we may encounter something in that endless sea."

Mina "Aye aye, Captain! I'll do it!"

All eyes are on Mina, as she deftly navigates the boat's control system.

The vessel stirs to life.

It sets sail toward the unknown. The land recedes until nothing remains but an endless expanse of ocean.

Amelia "Wow, she was bloody right! This is amazing!"

Kanji "Yes, but we can't be careless. Who knows what this place holds compared to last the location."

Gwen "Ummm... Kanji... you might want to look at this."

Kanji "It's... It's blank? Why is the map blank? Could this place be similar to my subspace and Germmany?"

Gwen "No, that isn't possible since I have confirmed that geological data worked within a subspace. Think of them as the basement of our reality. This however feels separate like an entirely distinct dimension or reality from our own."

Kanji "That is possible... For now, everyone prepare your weapons! I have a bad feeling. "

Weapons in hand, their vigilant eyes scour the aquatic vista, alert to the faintest ripple of motion.

Kanji glances at Gwen.

Kanji "How about you?"

Gwen "Oh you mean... This!"

Izzybot anchors onto Gwen's back, twining branches around her arms, morphing them into formidable, muscular forms. From each knuckle, emerges a row of serrated teeth, crafted from hardened plant-based calcium.

Kanji "Gorilla and conodont combo. That's neat, but not as clever as to why you decided to do this. I can't believe you got around that problem!"

Gwen "Yep, I figured if Izzy is moving them then my shoulders won't appear."

Kanji "Excellent. Now. Everyone stay on guard and Mina keep going forward!"

Time drags on.

An hour or Five? No... Days have dissolved into the vast, blue abyss.

Exhaustion ensnares them. Lids droop and bodies slump against the boat's sturdy oak deck.

Outside their unconscious realm, a monstrous mass breaches the ocean's surface.

A portal rips open on the deck.

Two battered figures catapult from it, entangled in a dance of strife.

Diana "...Woah! Woah! Woah! Stop Icarus! Where are we?!"

Dave "What? Oh... Wait. We out? How? WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT?!!"

A monstrous maw engulfs the ship in its dark embrace.

________________________________________________________________________________________

Kanji "Huh? Wha-What is this place?"

The Aspect of Energy opens his eyes. His head throbs in a bewildering haze, akin to the aftermath of a troubled sleep.

Kanji surveys his surroundings.

The room, a perfect square, is drenched in light blue hues. A cryptic inscription on the wall confronts him: "Face The True Self", underscored by a ticking timer.

Its countdown nears the final seconds.

Kanji rises, extending his chain, beads of sweat cascading from his face.

Something is taking shape.

?? Well. Well. Well. Look at the coward hiding in his shell.

Kanji stares, disbelief etched onto his face. TheTHING before him is impossible!

Kanji "Who are you?! Why do you look like-

?? -you. Why do I look like you? Ummm... a very good question. I know the answer. It's because I am you! The real you! The one you truly want to be.

Kanji " Ah, I see. Ha... Haha.. Hahahahaha! I understand now!"

Finding serenity, Kanji takes a seat, appraising his twin. His mirror image dons the well-worn attire of a seasoned adventurer, reminiscent of an isekai anime protagonist.

Kanji "What... you understand? What do you mean?"

Kanji "I have seen this kind of trial a hundred times in anime where the protagonist faces a copy of his or herself that represent their true nature. The hope is to change the character in some way. However, I won't let that happen."

Kanji "So what if you know that? I am everything you truly wanted. A life of adventure! I have more freedom than you could ever achieve! You are chained! The shackles of friendship restrained you from your goal. You had the choice to go through the entire journey all by yourself without a care in the world. But you rejected it and now you live with regret. I can sense it!"

Kanji "True, I do have regrets. But inviting my friends was not one of them. It's a past action that I will take responsibility for. I'm happy with how things are, I get to go on an adventure and my comrades are along with me. Sure, we may have suffered a lot of injuries, but we are still pushing forward and surviving. It's honestly hilarious to think you're my true self. No, to be real with you, I think that you're just the rawest form of my desire who lacks common sense."

Kanji "Haha... HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Holy shit! I can't believe you figured it out that fast! I almost forgot I'm dealing with a genius!"

Kanji "That settles things then. So in summary, the trial of reality makes you fight against a distorted version of your desires to solidify your perspective of reality."

Kanji "Bingo! But I wouldn't call all of them distorted."

Kanji "And each wielder has a separate room, right? When can we leave?"

Kanji "Yes, you each have separate rooms. If all the devoured wielders finish their trails, everyone can leave."

Kanji "Okay... then I should wait. What about you?"

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

Kanji "Time for me to disappear. I've done my job. Oh... one more thing. Hold on to your convictions. Who knows... your reality may change...... in the future that is."

Kanji observes his copy dissolve into a viscous pool. The lingering words leave an unsettling sensation gnawing at the back of his psyche.

Kanji "What he did mean? No, it's probably nothing of importance. Damn. I just hope the others have an easy time going through theirs."

________________________________________________________________________________________

In a peculiar, dreary gray chamber, Sarah wakes up.

Sarah "Fuck! Huh?!"

She reacts in alarm. That was close, Sarah narrowly avoided tumbling into one of many holes punctuating the floor.

Sarah "Jesus! What the hell?!"

Her gaze wanders to the walls, spotting irregular protrusions as if the floor had leaped up to form the holes. She strides towards the room's heart, where an even larger void awaits.

Intrigued, the Aspect of Fiction edges closer and-

Sarah "WOAH!"

A jet of viscous, black matter erupts from the pit.

It contorts and reshapes.

Sarah's eyes widen at the sight of a grotesque blob, teeming with hundreds of writhing tentacles.

Sarah "OH. MY. GOD! OH MY GOD! OH MY GOD! NO WAY!"

With a swift leap, she embraces the side of the monstrosity, causing it to shudder.

?? Would thou mind getting off?

Sarah "Err... what?"

Her voice? Sarah detaches herself. The entity morphs, revealing her own face, adorned peculiarly with... a monocle?

Sarah "Wait, what the heck is that stupid shit?"

?? Oh my dear, Sarah. This item isn't one of idiocy, it's a symbol to signify one esteemed individual.

Repulsed, she retreats slowly.

Sarah "Wh-What the fuck are you-"

Her foot catches a hole, and she stumbles. Luckily, one of the creature's appendages shoots out, reeling her back from the brink.

Sarah "Oh... err... thanks for saving my life."

?? No problem, darling. Oh, how rude of me. I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Sarah Charlotte Lioness. I'm thy truest desire.

Sarah "Really, my truest desire is to be half modern half Shakespearian Eldritch Monster. Well, fuck it! What am I doing here exactly?!"

Sarah "As thou know my dear Sarah, thou are in the trial of reality. To leave this cage, thou must proceed with my queries. Ten thou must succeed, all of which canter to history."

Sarah "Well, fuck. How many tries do I have?!"

Sarah "Thou hast as many attempts as thou wanteth and there's no string with time."

Sarah "Okay then I just need to answer questions correctly! Lay it on me!"

Sarah "Very well. Before we proceed, thou must know that each question answered will grow in difficulty."

Sarah "Alright, I get it! Just get on with it!

Sarah "What was the cause of World War 2?"

Sarah "What the hell?! There were a lot of major causes! Is this seriously the first question!"

Sarah "Do thou want to switch to a new one?"

Sarah "No, let me think! Was it the impact of The Treaty of Versailles after World War 1?"

Sarah "Wrong answer. New question. Who created the book called "Republic"?"

Sarah "Wow, this one is easy! It's Plato!"

Sarah "Wrong answer. New-"

Sarah "Hold on! How?! Wait... are you fucking telling me that I have to give super specific answers like his real name and shit!"

Sarah "Yes. New question. What's the queen of England's full name?"

Sarah "Ummm... Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windser?"

Sarah "Wrong answer."

Sarah "Fuck! Are you serious?! What when wrong there?!"

Sarah "It's Windsor, not Winser, my dear Sarah. Anyway, new question. Who created the "Kaaba"?"

Sarah "Isn't it that the shrine Islamic people worship?"

Sarah "Yes."

Sarah "Ah-ha! Now I know the answer! It's Ibrahim! He created the shrine!"

Sarah "Wrong. It's Ibrahim and his son, Ismail."

Sarah "Fucking shit! Ok, next question!"

Sarah "What are The Ten Commandments?"

Sarah "Ummm... I am the lord your god: you shall not have strange gods before me. You shall not take the name of the lord your god in vain. Remember to keep holy the lord's day. Honor your father and your mother. You shall not kill. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife. You shall not covet your neighbor's goods... Right?"

Sarah "Wrong answer."

Sarah "FUCK!"

Sarah "Thou has forgotten to emphasize some words. Next question..."

......

Sarah "Fucking hell! It's been two hours! I haven't even answered one correctly!"

A surge of fury overtakes Sarah. She hurls her weapon against the wall, striking one of the bulges. It dislodges and moves to seal a cavity in the floor.

Sarah "What? No... it can't be! You can't be serious!"

Weapon in hand, she sets about attacking the remaining bumps. Gradually, the floor is purged of all holes.

Sarah "Congratulations! Thou has passed."

Sarah "ARE... YOU... FUCKING KIDDING ME?! WHAT'S THE POINT OF ALL THE QUESTIONS?"

Sarah "Oh, it seems thou has yet to realize the purpose of thy trial."

Sarah "What do you mean?!"

Sarah "It is to fix thy current reality through facing a distorted adversary of thy desire."

Sarah "Errr... I don't get it."

Sarah "Thou asked too many questions. It can lead to thy downfall."

Sarah "Oh...Oh, I get it now. So this is how it feels to be on the opposite end, huh. Gonna be honest, this sucks! I'll keep some questions to myself from now on."

Sarah "Marvelous. Now. Please wait for thy comrades to finish."

Sarah settles down, observing as her duplicate fades away, its form filling up the larger hole.

________________________________________________________________________________________

Dave "What is this shit, dude?"

The Aspect of Form prowls the crimson confines of the room, expecting an event.

A human-like silhouette materializes at the room's core.

Bat in hand, Dave is poised to strike. But at the sight of the figure, he sheathes his weapon.

Dave "Ayo, you're me!"

Dave "Yep, dude. I'm you, bro."

Dave "Aw man, this is fucking sick! Wait... I'm not gonna have to fight you, am I?"

Dave "Nah, this whole trial or whatever it is about facing your desire or some shit to fix your mentality. But Dude, I'm just here to tell you that you're fine as you are."

Dave "So, I don't have to do shit, bro."

Dave "Yep, that's right, bro. I'm about to head out. Anything you want to do?"

Dave "Oh, you KNOW what I want to do."

Inching closer, they finally meet...

Dave/Dave "On three. One... Two... Three!"

They initiate a robust handshake, succeeded by an energetic high five, culminating in a loud fist bump.

The other Dave smiles, fading into nothingness. Dave swallows back the swell of joyful tears.

________________________________________________________________________________________

Meanwhile...

Diana "Fuck! What do mean by sin?! What did I do?! "

Diana appears in a battered state, bearing evident wounds. She appears to be fleeing from someone, a haunting figure dressed in a judicial ensemble— a version of herself.

Diana "Repent, hypocrite. You are unfit for being the enforcer of the law."

Diana "Dammit, how is she sliding across the floor."

Diana "REPENT!"

Her doppelganger unleashes a brutal blow, striking her liver with force.

Diana clutches her lower abdomen, seeking relief from the searing pain. Anger wells up within her as she prepares to retaliate, mirroring the same punch.

But her counterattack falters, and the clone ruthlessly drives her face into the wall with a powerful strike.

Diana "Ok. OK! I'll repent! Just tell me what I did wrong!"

Diana "Good! Don't be a dick all the time. Learn to have fun. Balance the two and that way you'll have true order."

Diana "Oh... I... never thought about it that way."

Diana "I'll be going away now. I can tell that you've learned your lesson"

Diana "Wait, before you go. Tell me. How did you slide on the floor?"

Diana "Well, I have an amplified version of your ability. But let me tell you this... you can do it too with a bit of effort. Try decreasing the friction between your feet and the ground."

Diana "Okay, got it."

Diana musters a thumbs-up and her doppelganger reciprocates the gesture before vanishing into the ether.

________________________________________________________________________________________

Azan "What are you?!"

Azan "I'm you but better. I'm what you always wanted to be. In charge of everything."

Azan "No, it would never be this arrogant and prideful. It's against my father's teachings. YOU ARE A FAKE DESIRE."

Azan "Aw, you wound me. What are you going to do about it? Fight me! I'm sure Dad would be proud."

Azan "DON'T TALK ABOUT MY DAD!"

Azan rushes ahead with unwavering momentum, hurtling toward his duplicate. With a fierce strike, his clenched fist connects with his doppelganger's face.

Azan "What?!- NOOO!!!"

In a state of horror, he glances at the distorted look of a friend.

Azan "Mina... what... this can't be! FUCK!"

Azan "Do you understand now?"

Azan jumps back and he witnesses his clone's face revert back to its original form.

Azan "Huh?! Y-You tricked me!"

Azan "You still don't get it. DON'T YOU!"

Azan "The hell are you trying to say?!"

Azan "You know what screw this. It's been five hours, you are too stubborn. I don't wanna help someone whose entire reality is completely warped around his father!"

Azan "Hold on! What?! Wait, were you trying to teach me something?"

Azan "Yes, but I had enough! Goodbye!"

Azan "Wait! Dammit! He's gone." "Was he... trying to tell me... t-that I'm too obsessive about my father? What is the lesson exactly?! I did choose to go on this journey for my dad. But now... I don't know what to think. FUCK!....."

________________________________________________________________________________________

After several hours, the unbroken silence gnaws at her sanity, while the oppressive white room heightens her unease.

Amelia "Oh bloody hell! Will something happen already!"

Once again, her plea falls on deaf ears, met with resounding silence.

Amelia "Ok, I'm stuck here. What a bother. Well, since I got nothing to go do, might as well talk. Right, Amber?"

?? Sure. But I prefer my way of talking.

Darkness consumes the room.

Amelia perceives a growing distortion emerging from behind her.

She dodges.

Amelia "What the bloody hell?! Woah, are yo- Am... Amber?!"

Standing before Amelia is a towering badass, clad in messy attire. Her vibrant orange hair flows... she then flashes her a devilish, mischievous grin.

Amber "Did I scare you, Amelia?! Wait a second... Oh shit! I fucking messed up! Sneak attacking was a bit cowardly of me."

Amelia "How are you here? You're not in my head anymore? Is it because of this place?!"

Amber "Jeeeeesuuuussss, what with all the fucking questions! Fine! I'll keep it short, no vague bullshit. I want you to stop being a passive coward and learn to fight like a real warrior!"

Drawing nearer, Amber launches a relentless barrage of punches toward Amelia. She evades the onslaught and activates |2. Blurring mira—

Amelia "ARGH!" "How?! Did it not work?!"

Amber delivers a forceful thrust, propelling Amelia's body mercilessly against the wall, causing severe damage to her lower ribcage and back.

Blood gushes from her mouth as she coughs uncontrollably, collapsing lifelessly to the ground.

Amber places her foot on Amelia's head.

Amber "YOU FUCKING IDIOT! WHY DID YOU RUN?! WHY DIDN'T YOU PROTECT YOURSELF? Jeez, this won't fucking do! I'm resetting the battle!"

Amelia's eye flickers open once more. A realization dawns upon her. This is... the beginning.

Amelia "Why am I... No! Wait!"

She evades Amber's initial onslaught, her reflexes are in full force. Quickly, she brandishes her trusty pan and knife, desperately attempting to block the relentless waves of punches.

Amber "Good! At least, you didn't run this time. However, you're blocking skills FUCKING SUCKS!"

Amber ruthlessly overwhelms the defenseless girl, unleashing a relentless assault that leaves her body battered, bruised, and bones shattered. The excruciating pain renders Amelia incapable of even uttering a single scream.

Amber ~sigh~

Amber "You fucking serious! Damn, you're useless without your powers! This is gonna take a fucking while. Round 3, it is!"

Amelia awakens once more.

Amelia "WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS?! IT BLOODY HURTS!"

Amber "Seriously stop whining already..."

Amelia musters the strength to block Amber's initial strike, deflecting the attack.

Amber "Listen... in the fucking future, you'll fight and fight. You'll meet opponents that will do even worse things to you! And are you expecting everyone to endure that torment instead of you?! Damn, that sure is selfish of you!"

Amelia "I...AM... NOT...SELFISH!"

Amelia headbutts Amber.

In a brief, blinding instant, the room is engulfed in a dazzling white light.

Amber "That... was... fucking... AMAZING! That is how you do it!"

Amber, fueled by the outcome, unleashes a relentless flurry of punches that intensify in speed, barraging Amelia with another relentless assault.

Amber "Awesome Awesome Awesome Awesome Awesome Awesome Awesome Awesome Awesome Awesome Awesome Awesome Awesome Awesome Awesome Awesome Awesome Awesome Awesome! AWESOME!"

Amelia manages to deflect some of the incoming blows. However, overwhelmed by the sheer force, she eventually succumbs, collapsing to the ground. Though spared from severe injuries, her body is now adorned with bruises.

Amber "Great, we're making progress! Let's do this again!"

They continue their grueling cycle, repeating the process over an extended period of time. Eventually, Amelia...

Amelia "I... finally... block... a-all of t-them."

Amber "Good job. You even block my thrust. But the real lesson has fucking begun!"

Amelia "Ok, I'm fucking ready! Give your bloody best shot!"

Amber "Woah, even your vocab improved. Gonna warn you though, so far it is just to improve your reflexes. Let's see if you could use them!"

Amelia "What?!"

Amber sets her sights on Amelia's head.

She manages to block the attack,

Amber smiles and quickly follows up with a kick aimed at Amelia's hip.

Gritting her teeth, Amelia retaliates with a spiteful stare.

Amber "Oh come on now. You could have dodged that. This is Lesson One in one-to-one combat, look for open space."

Amelia maintains a resolute silence, her mind sharpening its focus on her weapons. Gripping them tightly, she assumes a defensive stance.

Amber "Ooooh, good timing! Time for lesson 2!"

Amelia anticipates her incoming kick and prepares to dodge the attack. However—

Amber " Wrong move!"

Amber slides underneath, positioning herself behind her. With a devastating maneuver, she delivers a forceful jab that pierces through Amelia's back.

Amber "Oh shit! Too much power! Aw, man, I killed her! Now I have to reset again. FUCK!"

Amelia wakes up again.

Amelia "No! Are we starting over again?!"

Amber "Huh? This is a surprise. You're not traumatized from death?"

Amelia "I already fucking felt like I was dying when I fought you earlier."

Amber "Good. This is good! Let's keep going!"

The cycle repeats and repeats. Amelia's progress soars. And soon...

Amber "Hah... I gonna say I'm a bit fucking nervous right now. You flawlessly blocked all that. Your fucking hands and feet moved like a machine."

Amelia "What's bloody next? Beep-boop."

Amber "Haha, very funny! But seriously though, let's move on with attacking. Come on... Hit me!"

Amelia's knife sways, striking Amber's abs.

Amber "Is this... SERIOUSLY ALL YOU GOT?!"

Amber's uppercut is then met by Amelia's block.

Amelia "Sorry, I'm not fucking used to attacking."

Amber "I see. All you need is a fucking fighting style. Seeing your weapons... your pan is wide enough to sometime block and it can get used as a blunt weapon. Your knife is too fucking short, you should use it like a dagger. Here like this."

Amber adjusts the knife. Amelia wields it upside down, blade suspended outward.

Amber "Ok, only used the knife for attacks of opportunity like sneak attacks or when you see an opening. Don't fuckin fight them head-on like with a sword. Also, you can use it to wear down your enemies by leaving cuts and it can also be used to deliver a finishing blow."

Amelia "What about this bloody pan?"

Amber "You can combo it. When fighting a greater opponent, try to only block with the pan and attack with your knife only if you see an opening. It can also be used to be a deception tool to switch into your knife. On the Offensive, you can use the pan to knock out weaker opponents instead of killing them."

Amelia "I... I don't think I could do any of that."

Amber "That's why I'm here. You're fighting one tough motherfucker. So enough fucking chit-chat! Let's go!"

The two opposites clash nonstop for hours. Finally, a bright white room remains. Blood splatters on one corner.

Amber's lifeless form lies dismembered, innards scattered.

Amber "You... fucking... psychopath. YOU FUCKING MADE ME PROUD! HAHAHAHAHA!"

Amelia "Ah... ha... hahahahaha! I finally bloody did it!"

Amber "Congratulations, Amelia. You are kinda like me, well physically that is. You no longer have to become like me anymore. Heck if anyone sees you right now, they would say that you are pretty cool."

Amelia "Thanks... Amber... What happens after this? What will happen to you"

Amber "Who knows? Who cares. I'll be dust in the wind, goin- Eh... wait. Are you crying?!"

Amelia "Yeah... I'm sorry. I'm not being a pussy. It's just that it's like losing a friend and mentor at the same time."

Amber chuckles.

Amber "This is it. That is how life is. Goodbye, I guess... wait. Before I go, can insult me with the most vicious words possible. Don't ask why. Just do it."

Amelia "Ok... YOU STUPID FUCKING DEMENTED GIANT GORILLA. I WISHED YOU NEVER FUCKING EXISTED AND IF I SEE YOU AGAIN, I'LL SLIT YOUR BLOODY THROAT AND PULL OUT YOUR INTESTINES AND SHOVE IT BACK INTO YOUR ASSHOLE!.... There, happy."

Amber "....Errrr... wow that's... Umm, I think I taught you too much. Jesus Christ, I feel bad for Dave."

And with that, she vanishes, replaced by a brilliant flash.

(To be continued)