Cosimo sister's Maria wasn't dealing with high school well. He kept to himself, ignoring her as best he could. She's not his problem!

“If I cared more, talked to her more, would I have been able to stop her from killing me?”

He looked into the whiteless void, the place he came to . Not even white is there. If this is death, it sure is a boring. 

Cosimo, the type without friends lived with his distant father and sister  Maria. His sister and he rarely talked, but there were sometimes in the past she needed some help. So Cosimo helped her out of obligation. Even if it made him uncomfortable.

Maria had more and more problems, getting into fights at school, stealing things, and getting involved with the cops. Cosimo thought that he wasn’t involved, even though he was her brother. Her problems were not his. Really, he had a hard enough time taking care of himself and enjoying his hobbies. So when she did ask for help, he thought he had to help her.

After all, it's his responsibility as a brother. Even if it's hard or he got in trouble. Her problems were serious after all. But, recently he heard Maria got a boyfriend from someone at school. Cosimo was hoping things would get better for her. Cosimo, he just wanted to enjoy himself alone where it was safe. What he wanted to do with his life, he had no idea. He didn't want any trouble, that is his only wish right now. Cosimo wasn't going to get that wish.

At the end of his life, she killed him in the kitchen with a kitchen knife one night when he went to get a chicken sandwich.

“Why, for a chicken sandwich, did I have to die?” Cosimo sighed into the whiteless void.

It wasn’t his fault, after all. He did what he could, didn’t he?

“Maria... couldn't you just leave me alone?”

Cosimo went to sleep. 

 <(-_-)< v(-_-)v )'-')b d('-'( >(-_-)> Kirby Dance.

He got woken up by a wild looking Japanese man with a heavy beard. The wild clothing gave him a feeling of power and disregard for the sensibility of others. Cosimo thought it was cool.

"Hey there uh, Cosimo? You made me a bit sad with the way you ended up dying. Good job, It takes quite a lot to get my emotions going. Hello, I’m her new boyfriend." He gave Cosimo a grin. "Your sister is absolutely terrible, though, she didn't even blink when she stabbed you. I

seriously thought that her smile looked sinister for a moment there but no, I think she really enjoyed it. Do you understand, the appeal of crazy girls?" He chatted with Cosimo with an aimless air about him.

Cosimo looked at him wary and asked him his name.

“Well, you see your sister Maria offered me your soul as a gift. She said she doesn’t need you since she figured out she can just use other people. You were just convenient. I’m Susanoo, a god, nice to meet you.” Susanoo said as he shook Cosimo’s hand being polite. "I’m going to send you to another world. I figured I’d give you another shot, you have some regrets?”

Cosimo sighed. He had enough of the void anyways. Just go along with it.

“Another world? I guess, why not. I didn’t have friends or anything else in life. Are you sure you want to date my sister? You know how she’s like right?”

“Me, I like crazy girls. Your sister’s like that. It just my preference. Nothing wrong with that right?”

"No, no. It's not my problem anymore, finally." 

“She tired you out, huh. I’ll do something nice for you then. How about I make this easy on you? Out of the blue, give you an ability out of a video game or something. Make your new life easier. Here, here’s some abilities. I had a technology start-up program it out. You can pick two.” Susanoo said as he handed Cosimo a slick device.

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 “Abilities? There doesn’t seem to be anything interesting here huh. ‘Mediocre’? Why would anyone want an ability like that?” Cosimo whined a little to himself. Sounds like my life. Isn’t this cruel?

“So you want it?” Asked Susanoo.

“I just want to know what it does.”

“Click on it then.”

Cosimo clicked on it. He muttered an 'ah I see' as he pursued the ability description. Bring enemies down to your level? Sounds like a debuff spell, that would be useful. Cosimo selected it, clicking back to make sure he could unselect it. He checked the other abilities and found them boring or situational and by chance tapped 'Average'. He's curious. Why not check?

"Wow... this ability is amazing. I can set my body and energy back to an average condition? If I don't die, doesn't this make me immortal?"

He handed Susanoo the tablet, Susanoo's eyes bugged out reading the description.

"Not sure how this got in there. If you think it's that great, have fun with it. I don't see much potential for that one, what is that useful for?"

"Immortality!" Cosimo cheered.

"No no it's just an average condition it says. The best you can be is average!"

"And being average is better than being dead."

"Hmm... good point. Well, got your choices? I'll send you off then-"

“Um, so what’s this world like?” Asked Cosimo.

“It’s got magic and monsters. I’m sure you can go be an adventurer and make friends that way. Meet people! Get a job! It’ll be good for you! Now, I’ve gotta go take your sister to see Mt. Fuji. I'll check up on you later, have fun!” Susanoo disappeared and the world went white.

Cosimo landed with a thump with hay scattering into the air framed against wood of a barn's wall. Cosimo felt the sun's rays warming his body as they peeked through wooden rafters, dust motes flying in the air. He sat up and hay flew about, scattering the sunlight with shadows. 

As he stood up, he felt a bit weak and ungainly.

"I forgot to-" 

He saw a giant, giant anteater. Giant Anteaters were the species name on Earth. This is a especially giant one, in a stable staring at him. Why did he think it looked grumpy? It's the size of an ox.

"I forgot to ask him how to use abilities." Cosimo rubbed his head.

“You, human. You can use space magic? I’ve never heard of someone like that!”  

Cosimo felt sound bubbling up from within his stomach. It was like it was inside his body. No, no way, it can't be that-

“Well? I’m Timothy. I suppose you’re confused, but a pilosa like myself can speak. It’s a special skill.” 

"Uh, sorry. I'm new here. Didn't mean to port into your barn. I'll leave now, sorry." Cosimo apologized and made to leave. A pink slab landed on his shoulder. He turned around, looking at the massive tongue coming from the anteater's long snout to his shoulder.

"Hold up there." Cosimo assumed that the 'pilosa' was saying that.

"Look, I've had a tough day. Can't a guy just, come to another world, peacefully?" Cosimo lost his wits staring into the grim gimlet eyes of the 'pilosa'.

“After an answer from you. Another world? You think telling me that would make me less curious?"

Cosimo sighed. He explained to the 'pilosa' his situation, among 'hmms' and 'hmphs' from the anteater. He also told it what anteaters were like on Earth.

"Well. That's interesting! It gets boring around here, mind if I join you?"

"Uh, join me for what?"

The pilosa patted Cosimo on the back with his tongue.

"I'm a druid. I want to see what you're going to do with those abilities. That 'Average' sounds troublesome. My sense of justice tells me you aren't the type to make good decisions! Someone else like me, stranded alone among strangers- how about it? I'll give you a ride to Aleppo!"

"Aleppo? That sounds familiar..."

"There's a city like that on Earth? How strange. So how about it?"

Cosimo rubbed his head, looking at the pilosa.

"My name's Timothy." It told him.

"Are you... isn't that kind of weird?"

"Hey. That name is from my people."

"Sorry." Cosimo apologized. It looked like a sore topic.

Timothy explained to him that one of his abilities as a druid is 'Soul Arts' and he speaks to Cosimo through that ability. Arts, special skills attained through mastery and practice, were uncommon among humans but common among his people.

"Humans can't handle dreams well." That statement mystified Cosimo but he let him continue as they left the barn, heading for a farmhouse.

"I'll go say goodbye. I worked for a couple here, got them through the winter."

Well, he seems nice, Cosimo thought to himself watching Timothy sprint off with his long shiny coat. Isn't it kind of like a horse? He looked into the field sewn with an orange crop, some frankenstein cross between pumpkin and corn. His hand went out and stopped short, it would be thieving wouldn't it, to take it like this. He sighed, looking to trees in the distance and vast hill ridden plains. In the distance, a white blur on the horizon.