Start of Part 7__________________________________________________________________________________________

I felt irritation but was unable to understand such an emotion at the moment with my main body asleep. The girl’s body felt tired and the two weren't talking anymore so I made her sleep. When I woke up I realize the confirmation of my thoughts last night. I have a feeling the degree of her control is much more limited than I’d thought. Though I suppose I don't care. I don’t care if they take the girl when they leave. I will try to use that as a reason for them to take me with them. They’re just giving a card to play. Or if I take a few moment to stop thinking like an evil overlord then it’s honestly fine if I stay here and they take her there. Who knows? Maybe the connection can be maintained between worlds. That would be an interesting experience that I’m more willing to test rather than using my two first ever RL friends. I like that plan more. Though I would really like to go there. It can’t be helped if they refuse. I’ll find another way somehow.

“G’afternoon.” I said and waved at the two who were eating some kind of pasta they’d made themselves for dinner. 

“Morning.” Malinda replied. Welkin just grunted at me.

I looked at the clock in the kitchen and saw that it was 5pm. I slept for twelve hours again today. THis probably also has something to do with the fact that I’m not human anymore. If I assume that I stopped being human around the time I started sleeping twelve hours everyday. Then I stopped being human two months ago. That was also around the time I really started getting involved on the forum. Before then I was just a lurker at most and very rarely went on any forums. Now I’m pretty much everywhere on the forums of stuff I’m interested in. As of late I spend more time on the forums than playing games. I thought I was just lonely. But maybe it’s something more than that.

“You didn’t try to feed her did you?” I asked knowingly when I came back to the living room with more watery stock soup.

“I tried to feed her some cereal but she threw it back up.” Malinda frowned.

“Well at least you didn’t try and feed her chocolate. She’d probably die if you did.” I nudged the girl awake. 

I felt that tiny part of my mind that was sleeping soundly, awaken. The weakness and hunger gnawed at me again and I took a moment to restrain it again. I made her open her eyes which felt strange like opening a second set of eyelids I didn’t know I had. Then I went through the process of spoon feeding her the soup again. This is really a pain. I’ll be relieved when Malinda takes her off my hands. Not that I don’t feel sorry for making someone who’s on the verge of death. It’s just that this is depressing as fuck on top of being a really weird experience. Because it feels like I’m the one sitting there on the verge of death. Being spoon fed really shitty soup that tastes like the most delicious soup I’ve ever eaten. It’s vexing more than it is annoying.

“So what’s wrong with her?” Malinda asked while wringing her fingers.

“Her body was created without enough materials. So it seems that this was the result. She appears to be in a state of severe malnutrition.  We need to get her body used to eating food. It’s why I’m feeding her with this watered down stock. It has most of what she needs and she’ll keep it down.” I explained.

“Good. Good.” Malinda nodded to herself a few times.

“Why so concerned? I made her so I won’t let her die. Just let me take-”

“No! You don’t get to say that. You only made her because I told you too. So she’s mine!” Malinda interrupted irrationally.

I turned to her with my mouth ajar exaggeratedly, “I can’t believe I’m on this side of a “I gave birth to it so it’s my responsibility” conversation.” 

“You just supplied the seed. I did all the work. Need I spout anymore bitchy single mother lines?” I continued mockingly.

Malinda gave me a death glare.

“I apologize for her Haris. High monsters have strong protective instincts towards children specifically. She feels it was at the very least her fault in part. So she’s feeling this protective instinct even more strongly than myself because she feels it’s her child.” Welkin said apologetically.

“She is.” Malinda said quietly. I ignored it.

“It’s fine. I’m just stirring you. I suppose I went a little far. If you want to “take responsibility” as it were. Then I’m fine with that. It’s dangerous here anyway. You should take her with you when you go back.” I suggested. Knowing full well that they’d intended to just take her and not caring. This way we might be able to remain friendly if we ever meet again. I also refuse to continue having this conversation.

“I intended to.” Malinda huffed.

“Though I’d feel sad if you never called. You are after all the father of my child.” I said jokingly. Which got me another glare from Malinda.

“So I suppose you guys want to go to a hardware shop? Find some computers and batteries.” I suggested.

“No. You’ll lead us to a nearby Magical device storage and help us find more of your worlds Mana Crystals.” Welkin corrected me with their world equivalent of what I’d just said.

“That’s what I just said.” I said dismissively.

I took a shower and changed into a clean set of clothes. I’d taken a liking to scarves lately. They do a very good job of covering my face so that is I’m seen they won’t know who I am at a glance. I wore my usual going out attire. Boxers and a red shirt with 1919 in an exaggerated yellow and orange font. Over top of that I put on a bulletproof vest, a black hoodie and baggy cream coloured long pants made of a sturdy fabric. I made sure they were things I didn’t mind being destroyed or having bullet holes in them. I’ve only been shot twice but it was a close thing each time. The first time I didn’t have a vest and Wouver, whose actual name is Ashley, saved my life. The second time I took a hit to the leg, which sucked. Before leaving my room I grabbed a handgun from under my pillow that I didn’t know or care to know the name of. I think I remember Ashley calling it a Golck or something stupid. I stuffed it into the pocket of my hoodie since I didn’t have a holster and I stuffed my phone in the other pocket. When I got back to the lounge Malinda and Welkin looked ready to go.

“Is Rachel going to be fine here on her own?” Malinda asked me.

“Who?” I asked because I don’t know any Rachel or what the fuck she is doing in my house.

“Her name's Rachel. I decided it while you were sleeping.” Malinda pointed at the girl. I didn’t have to look where she was pointing however because I saw what she was pointing at from “Rachel’s” eyes.

“Okay. Yeah, RACHEL, will be fine.” I made sure to enunciate the name so she knew I got it. I was maybe a little offended that she’d named me or at least an extension of me against my will. Not to even mention that haven’t gotten to telling her that she’s pretty much my body double. But I just decided I’ll keep that to myself because fuck her.

“Won’t you Rachel?” I asked for no real reason to the girl. Which was equivalent to talking to myself from my perspective and made her nod her head. I gave a thumbs up to Malinda and knew I was acting like a jackass. But she was fucking with my brain so I think it’s justified.

Malinda didn’t have much to say after that and just glared at me for the entire walk down the stairs and out of the building.

The three of us came out of the apartment complex and onto the street. So long as we stayed on the main road it’d be unlikely that we’ll run into any gang members with the sun going down as it is. There were plenty of flashlights and other light sources but these weren't trained soldiers. Because of how ineffective the gangs are at fighting in the dark they generally just hunker down at night and wait for morning. So long as we don’t make too much noise we’ll be fine. I finished locking up before taking out my phone and checking my GPS. I’m not gonna bother checking any electronics stores. Everything of worth had been looted and stashed somewhere for latter within the first year or so. If you’re luck you might find something worth taking. If you’re the tech savvy sort you could probably find some junked electronics and repair them. I’m really not. Funny thing is, I was actually one of the first few people that started looting. The city was quarantined, the police were gone and no one was gonna stop me. So being the intellectual. I naturally stoll everything I could and hid it. I checked the coordinates I’d memorized and refreshed my memory of how to get there. It really wasn’t far. There was however the issue that it was in what was most probably the new deadmans land of the gang war. I walked onto the main street and started walking northwest along the A3 or is it called king georges road? I’ve very really been good with street names. After about half an hour of walking I looked up from my map to make sure I was going the right way. It wouldn’t be the first time I’d walked for an hour and realized my GPS was glitching for whatever reason. 

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

Keeping look out for trouble the three of us talked about meaningless things as we walked. Things like the weather, the similarities in our worlds architecture and the ever reliant comment on how creepy it is to be in a city without people. As we talked I hugged my hoody close. I made sure to complain to them about how the weather was cold and not just cold, but stupidly cold for Australia. Ever since that hole in the sky opened it was colder than it should be in Australia. It wasn’t rare for it to snow anymore. In fact it snowed almost every other day now. I lived eighteen years wishing I could go see the snow someday and now I can’t stand it. Luckily however it was warmer today. The snow had melted and the streets were slick with the chilled water. It was 16°c and a perfectly sunny day according to someone in the world. I however had found that I was used to and prefered the 28°c norm of an Australian summer. At least that used to be the norm, now the snow just melts. We reached a train station without running into anyone and I could only hope that we had as much luck on the way back.

“This where it is?” Welkin asked me with obvious curiosity.

I nodded my head, “This is where it should be. We keep a few different kinds of batteries here.”

“We?” Malinda asked me, wanting me to elaborate.

“My forum friends and I share a few caches. I share this one with a friend of mine called Ashley.” I took a few steps before stopping and looking back at them.

“Actually she lives here most of the time so… try to be nonthreatening.”

The two nodded to me and seemed to try and back themselves visibly less threatening. Which was both ridiculous to look at and did the exact opposite. I shook my head to indicate they should stop. They thankfully got what I meant and stopped being stupid. I approached the door and then realized something. 

Looking back at the two again I said, “Actually you two should wait here. I’ll call you in after preparing her for it. She really might shoot you.”

The two nodded with what I suppose could be an understandable amount of annoyance for someone from their world. I honestly didn’t care if it annoyed them though. I didn’t enter immediately, instead I stood before the door and closed my eyes. I breathed in slowly and then breathed out slowly to calm myself for what was to come. Ashley and I had a code that was more a set of actions to keep each of us on our toes more than anything else. Though it was also because Ashley shoots before she thinks. Which I’m sure came in really handy for her all the time lately, especially with the North Band around.

“Is this some kind of ritual to enter a female friend's home?” Malinda interrupted my thoughts. Her eyes were sparkling with interest. 

I simply glared a silent “shut up and let me do my thing” before I ignored her and began to regulate my breathing again. Calming myself and preparing myself mentally. I couldn’t help getting stuck for a moment on how someone would misunderstand this for a ritual. Though I suppose it is in a way a ritual of sorts, just without any religious connotations.This was Ashley after all, she became my trainer and my main source of information in the city ever since that night she’d found me in an alley with a bullet through my chest. She taught me how to use and maintain a firearm that I’ve never used since and she also taught me how to defend myself in close quarters to what she labeled as “Passable”. She never told me where she learned any of it but I assume she was in the military at one point or another. That or she’s just crazy. Which actually might be the case now that I think of it. I shook my arms to loosened up the muscles before preparing my mind and kicking in the door. I fell into a roll just as a gun fired, the bullet zipped out into the street. If I’d just knocked or tried to open the door she would have shot through it. I swung out a foot mid roll kicked away a throwing knife. My roll fell apart and I stopped laying on my side before raising my gun in Ashley's general direction. She had her gun point at me as well and we stayed like that for full minute before we both lowered our guns.

“You took your damn time getting here. I sent that message ages ago.”  Ashley scolded me. It was well deserved I suppose.

“I had some guests so I went to sleep a bit latter than usual.” I gave an exaggerated shrug as I rose to my feet from my previous position of laying on the floor.

“North Band?” She asked me. From her tone it seemed she’d been having issues with them herself.

“Alien.” I smiled when I said it. Because I knew I sounded like a crazy fucker.

End of Part 7__________________________________________________________________________________________

AUTHOR needs a moment: The next part might take an extra day or two. Earth Defense Force 4.1 on PC happened and now nothings getting written or done. Actually was there ever anything before EDF? I can't quite remember anymore. Being serious for a moment I'd mostly gotten it out of my system yesterday the day before yesterday. However then I started reading The Gam3 by Cosimo Yap/Ephemerality. At least that's what I think they're called in the world, place, thing. I had to stop and take a break from my binge read around mid way through the academy arc. I'm not sure if it was because I didn't sleep or not but I just felt like I missed a whole bunch of stuff every now and then around mid way or near the end of some chapters. Like did I forget something? Or was something cut out before posting and the author didn't smooth out the edges? 

Also the "The MC is Op as fuck but now everyone is even more OP as fuck and the MC is now under powered and absolutely fucked and now the MC needs to have a training montage but he's actually not going to have it because the author wants to drum it into the head of their readers that the MC isn't OP as fuck and now the MC is going on a mission instead of the training montage that no one wanted to read anyway so that the author can drill it in further that the MC isn't OP as fuck but is actually OP as fuck and will be OP as fuck I promissssss- AHHHHHHH!!!!" *Flips a table* .... 

Maybe I'm just upset because I tried to read everything there and there are inconsistencies that drive me insane because I tried to read everything. I guess I'm upset because it's really good but the author is a bit forgetful or something, which I get. Also the previously super helpful AI is now super unhelpful and doesn't tell the MC anything now. Which is annoying to read though I admit I don't miss the long drawn out drawling walls of text that explain things with no actual significance in great and highly unnecessary detail. Okay I'm gonna stop being a dick and digging any further of a hole for myself. I'm just upset because I like the story and it's the little things that slowly but surly drive me insane. I may be having a slight mental break down and I may have slept for the last 29 hours and only just realized I missed an entire day.