SHOBA POV

"So…what you're telling me is that... my sister was p-purposely taken? B-but why"

The notion sounded ludicrous to Shoba at first, but slowly he realized that perhaps he was the foolish one, the naive boy still believing in a peaceful and relatively unchanged world. The more flashes of memories appear within his thoughts from that night. The clearer Po's words nestled in his thought of reason.

‎

‎Po sat on the one good chair left in the room, with one leg folded over the other. He caressed the silver staff beside him. "During disasters of this magnitude, rather than letting a terrible ordeal wreak havoc, deities—or who we also call the masters of the spherical galactical spheres, utilize the very rare opportunity of the emergence of these unstable, and shallow currents appearing to create gentler doorways to access secluded realms like this one.

So why not search for an opportunity in moments of disaster?

The underlying motive is a little more complex. It involves a select few individuals, who are born with what we call, higher spiritual essences.

These unique energies resonate with the wills of these deities or Gods or whatever it is you wish to call them. And I tell you, there is nothing more desirable than being with high spiritual essence."

Shoba tried to remain tight-lipped, but his thoughts drew his mouth into asking something on the edge of his tongue. Recapturing the moment that strange horned being with red eyes took Ringo away. Shoba felt he could somewhat guess what the motives of these so-called deities were.

"To...to train them to become stronger?" He eventually spoke in a shaking tone.

Po nodded gently with a surprised look, still taking in the strange foreign surroundings whilst he addressed Shoba.

"Yes, most of the time that would be the case. Or they are sought after as trophies and brought across the veil to sit prettily on the shelves fashioned by these overbearing beings.

"Usually it's against one of our laws to interact with beings outside of one's spherical universe. But I guess...sometimes the strong do things, just because they can.

Of course, these chosen are presented with a choice to venture into a new world, it's never by force. Your Kin merely agreed to the demands of the ' being ' which approached her, so you should see it as-"

‎

‎"NO!!" Shoba yelled venomously

His entire body was shaking, he could feel his chest heaving up and down, from the swell of ire rising through his veins.

Po merely raised a brow at him for a brief moment but chose to hold his words.

"Ringo would never... she would never abandon her family. M-Mom... And D-dad. She just wouldn't!" His chest felt heavy again, his mind burdened still by too many mysterious and strange occurrences that had taken place. Too many dark and depressing thoughts continued swirling with a torrent of unresolved questions and emotions spilling over all at once.

'How is that possible? Ringo would never do that...would she?' Shoba couldn't bring himself to accept anything like that, despite the problems both he and Ringo went through. There wasn't any doubt she would never freely choose to abandon her family. Would she?

*Ding*

Po tapped the staff gently against the ground. The metal rebounded off the floor smoothly, as if it had brushed against the surface of water.

But even more peculiar was the sudden lightheadedness Shoba experienced, followed by a euphoric haze that nearly lulled him close to sleep.

‎

‎"You're disturbing my story mortal!" Po's gentle voice slightly vexed

Shoba was suddenly freed from the trance, trying to gather his body but suddenly felt a wave of tiredness rendering him almost sleep-drunk. Meanwhile, he couldn't remove his gaze away from the silver staff. Something about that ruby stone. 'What is he...what is he doing to me.?'

He guessed that the staff in his grasp was likely the culprit here.

"Less you forget, I am the one showing mercy here, considering you're destined to not remember anything after my mission is done here. I would expect a more generous manner of speech coming from you-Hmph!"

"Forget? Wh-why would I forget?" He muttered stiffly into the dark air. Po began to feel uneasy. His magenta eyes rattled from side to side before he cleared his throat. Shoba was beginning to take note of the note taking before the fellow mad a mistake.

He looked at the distressed young man with a solemnity that contradicted his impassive stare. He had forgotten how different mortals were from beings he usually associated with. Mortals were emotional bags of flesh. Quite intriguing and most certainly harder to carefully gauge.

"In truth, it's too soon to tell," Po remarked into the air dreamily

"Seventy-five percent of mortals don't survive being pulled into those chaotic rifts. Only the fortunate ones, possibly the young, and yes, those with a hidden sense of high spiritual awareness, might make it. Your parents might be alive, or perhaps they won't... but the harsh reality is that... you may never be able to discover the truth."

Po's expression darkened significantly.

He gripped his staff tighter, and Shoba sensed an impending threat.

"Now I can confirm that a fledgling was secured from here.

My task is complete."

With that said Po tapped his staff against the empty air behind him. Suddenly, like paper being torn, a rift bizarrely peeled away from the air and formed into one of those shimmering oval-shaped portals Suta remembered.

A grayish-pale, shimmering portal emerged, expanding as if driven by its force—or perhaps by Po's will.

Shoba was overwhelmed with an influx of thoughts watching the silver portal gradually grow in size against the open air.

"Wait! Why won't I remember anything? What are you going to do to me, and how can I get my family back if I can't remember?" Shoba's panic escalated, sensing that something dreadful was imminent.

"Hey, haven't you been listening? You're not strong enough to navigate the myriad spheres where they might be... if they're even alive," Po retorted.

"Then... how do I become..."

"Bah! Let me finish. Tsk! The dossier was right about your kind; you mortals never listen.

Ahem!

Listen closely now. Under the laws of the great Helvetios, only members of Hel's faction, like myself, and the chosen youths scattered across the nebula sea, the fledglings (like your sister), are allowed to know the true secrets of the vast realms beyond your skies.

To us, your world is merely a speck of dust in a vast desert of realms. To draw a more vivid picture.

We've likely only explored a fraction of the countless worlds woven into the fabric of space and time itself. There aren't enough resources to know every strange realm out there. Do you understand what I'm saying mortal? only the strong can do what it is you wish to be done."

As Shoba listened, a blend of understanding and resigned powerless acceptance began to form in his mind.

"Hahaha, well, this has certainly been quite the adventure... for me, that is. You, on the other hand, well...you have endured far too much emotional turmoil, especially for someone so young."

"Aha, impressive, right? I've studied quite a bit about mortals' emotions and whatnot. Aaah, Lord Helvetios would be proud of me," he sang with stars practically glittering within his gaze.

'What the hell is he babbling about now? And this Hel-ve-this person, is he the leader or some kind of god? W-would he be able to help me instead' Shoba wondered to himself, trying to think and find anything to pull him out of this situation.

As Shoba raised his head slightly, his lips beginning to form a question, Po seemed to have anticipated his curiosity.

With a graceful gesture, Po raised a finger to his nose bridge and gently tapped it before he began to explain.

The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

"My kind are known as the Shi-folk, we are born on the stars, and sent to serve in one of the immortal palaces beneath the guidance of one of the 8 Guardians of the galaxies. My kind are particularly attuned to what you mortals call endorphins I believe, and indeed to all forms of energy that your species emits.

From the moment I arrived, I could sense every nuance of your sadness.

Your species has a unique relationship with emotions and the ethereal energies flowing through the cosmos; your distinctiveness may arise from this connection."

Shoba listened with a growing burgeoning interest

The notion of Gods, otherworldly realms, and the vast cosmos unfurled a mix of tension and deep fascination within him, awakening this dormant drive that his sadness was trying hard to suppress. Or was it the guilt?

Shoba found it roughly ironic, considering he had always wished to see beyond the mundane veil of his world. Only, at the price of what he had lost, was it truly what he desired at heart now

" Now then... guess it's time I wiped your memories." Po declared nonchalantly. Shoba felt a sudden cold chill rushing through his body at the mention of that. He knew this fellow wasn't bluffing. His instincts, dulled by the weight of depression, were beginning to sharpen once again.

"Only the strong have the right to dictate the paths of fate. So forgive me as I bid you farewell... and goodbye." Po ceremonially intoned, raising his staff above his head.

"Noo!" Shoba cried out in panic, surprisingly halting Po's movements in place

"Wait-w-wait before you do it …promise me this." His voice croaked whilst his mind reeled for an escape from all of this.

"Promise me you'll look for my parents…please I need you to do that.

My last wish before I forget all of this…before I forget them…p-please."

He heard his own voice choked between his whimpers, what else could he do but beg? He was weak, confused, and lost in all of these strange notions about worlds, portals, and Gods.

‎

‎"Hmmm…a promise?."

Po looked to be seriously wrestling with the idea, although he knew it was pretty pointless to promise something to someone on the verge of forgetting all about this matter he had learned today. On the other hand, what most didn't know about Po was how he had been studying humans for quite a while during his leisure time. One thing he would never admit to anyone was the deep-rooted fascination he found learning about the behaviors and actions of the interesting mortals from this famed place called Earth.

Where Po comes from they call Earth the secret plane amongst the worlds.

Of course, most of this Shoba was not privy to know about. But it was because of these things, that kept Po idly talking to him thus far.

"Shi-Folk are one of a few races existing across the vast 8 universes. These pointy-eared purple-skinned individuals were said to be multiplying across the verses at a rate almost rivaling humans. "

Most Shi-Folk would've inspected the area, performed the memory bending sequence, and left without so much as a hello and bye. But Po himself understood the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity he had been here. He merely had to openly act as though he wasn't secretly ecstatic to be here.

After all, he knew he was being watched by Helvetios at all times.

‎

‎ Shoba on the other hand had very quickly made a bold claim to himself. Po was either intrigued by this world or by him. His expressionless gaze was a smokescreen to the words of wonder flowing through his purple lips. And something told him there was a subtle chance of hope through that truth.

Thankfully, his intuition proved to be right this time.

Watching those magenta-colored irises wrestling with thought, he knew this strange alien held no interest in leaving so soon.

Po studied him in silence for a few minutes, "I can't make that promise. However, I will do some digging into potential areas where those who gave you life were taken too. I'm not too sure if that'll provide you some sort of solace little bright eyed mortal. Since rules are rules I'm afraid…"

‎

‎ Shoba lowered his somber eyes, and with a faint voice, he managed to utter a single word in response.

"Oh…"

Po attempted to convey firmness, crossing his arms while tapping his index finger against his bicep. However, his inner thoughts betrayed his outward demeanor. Despite the whirring portal behind him, he couldn't help but feel drawn to the sudden shift from hope to disappointment evident in the child before him.

He yearned to delve deeper, to understand just how much mortals invested their hopes in their kin. Why their emotions were so damn chaotic, and where this strange fascination came from.

'Why does the divine baby these creatures? What makes them so special?'

After all, if a fledgling had already been received from this plane and the deity had no involvement in the process, this would prove to be a tedious affair for him. Handling Earth, a place considered so mysteriously crafted, was a task any one of his people would have eagerly embraced.

Po could already envision the extensive notes he would need to scribble across endless pages once he reported back. His afternoons would be consumed by these laborious tasks for a while, meaning he held less time to play. The mere thought of it left a lump stuck in his stomach.

Clearing his hoarse throat in a bid to mask away his true thought, Po endeavored to maintain the demeanor of a shrewd officer on the outside, whilst on the inside he was secretly devising a plan that would ensure he could stay here a little longer

"H-hey, how about I …stay here for a short while then…I mean…there's a great deal of splendid conversation to be had, a-about the rifts...your...kin I suppose"

‎

‎ Shoba was a little surprised by Po's sudden change in demeanor.

He did sense there was a curious childlike aura around the fellow, though it was hard to discern a clear picture from the blue fellow's attitude mostly. Shoba could somewhat see intrigue drawn across those expressionless eyes at times, but it was so subtle he wasn't confident enough to bank on his hunches at this point. There wasn't much he could do right now, his best option was to stall for time in hopes Po held a change of heart about wiping his memories. Subsequently, Shoba agreed with a soft head nod.

Po placed his glittering white staff down, and then he sat adjacent to Shoba and crossed his legs ceremonially.

‎

‎"So…what shall we talk about first?" Po asked excitingly. Shoba felt a little nervous being glared at by those cold magenta eyes.

But he quickly steadied his nerves, took a deep breath, and smiled crookedly towards the expectant visitor from a faraway land.

"Ok, f-first of all...have you heard about Dango?"

******

The evening drifted by, and the silent veil of nightfall fell upon the busy eastern wards. Neon signs mixed in with the vibrancy of colorful lights left the dark skyscrapers of the city glowing beneath the twilight skies. In truth, since the disaster took place life continued, and people were starting to flock back outside whilst the nationwide state of emergency was slowly being lifted.

Shoba finally drew apart his blinds and pried open one of the sealed windows.

The cold air walked in, making him shiver slightly, taken aback by the sudden feel of the outdoor air after almost 8 full days felt strange against his bones. His body instinctively wanted to drink from the formless air. But his inner thoughts were by far so distant from reality, the clear air itself was making him feel nauseated.

Po remained seated in the same position since the previous night. Shoba had bombarded him with countless facts and interesting tales about his world. Po was given so much information that he needed some time to carefully piece things together. From the popular festivals to the new moon dances, and some of Shoba's favorite delicacies. He poured everything he enjoyed and everything he could remember onto Po.

Shoba didn't mind it, considering he too was busy wrestling with the little he understood about the mind-blowing secrets Po had explained about this growing universe. To Shoba, storing everything he was being told was as though each piece of information was as precious as diamonds. The great crisis befallen his world was known as the Mana Storm . To Shoba, he managed to self-imply it to the logic he did understand, The mana storm in his eyes was a set of volatile rift Portals, which in modern terms were corridors of highly radioactive energies interlocking unnatural gateways between these distant worlds.

This explains why Po mentioned to him the reason a few among billions of mortals are called upon to enter a place he quietly referred to as ' the Crystalline Palace.' Where the chosen would almost be auctioned among the 8 great worlds. Each time Po unintentionally revealed some secrets about the world he came from, he would always use the excuse, "You won't remember this anyway," as a method to justify his clumsy actions.

Time dutifully passed on.

Po thumbed his chin for a little before exhaling a relaxing breath.

"Thank you…this was surely informative." He spoke making haste to rise to his feet.

Watching his slender movements Shoba felt his heartbeat hasten, his eyes never left the peculiar silver staff, affixed with that blood-red ruby jewel floating in the middle of the lunar-shaped helm of the staff. The sight of that bleeding jewel drew a cold sweat against the nape of his neck. But also thoughts of intrigue filled his thoughts, on more than one occasion he had seen Po use it to conjure a portal...perhaps he could-

Shoba felt a surge of euphoria rush through his veins, as though the impeding disaster had forced his mind to finally awaken.

Problem-solving had never seemed so arduous to him before. His past teachers had always praised the unique ways he tackled various problems. And the tactfulness he used in situations whenever the door seemed closed. Now, more than ever, he needed his unique mind to work a miracle.

The next few moments were crucial to Shoba, and they would determine whether or not he could retain his memories, or forget everything, his dad, his mom, and even Ringo.

Everything rested on these next few moments.