A few days earlier
Walking alongside the two knights from Aveay, Vijan curiously followed them into a run-down guildhall with a silver-haired butler behind the reception desk. It was fairly empty – only a few people stood around near the quest board and around the tables.
Isaac approached the butler and rested his arms on the counter, reading the dialogue options presented to him.
I want to join the guild! >
I need some help around the city. >
It’s a bountiful day, isn’t it? >
I’m looking for a quick job. >
With hesitation, Isaac turned to his partner. Cody seemed unamused by the establishment, and with narrowed eyes, wanted nothing but to leave.
Isaac: [It’s a bountiful day, isn’t it?]
Butler: [Right this way, sir]
Backing away from the counter, the butler NPC led the four to the back of the guildhall. On their way there, Vijan felt an ever-so-slight feeling he was being watched. Suddenly stopping in his path, he looked around the guildhall, looking directly at two adventurers staring at the quest board. Their stillness irked him.
Fiona: [What are you waiting for?]
Walking behind him, the short girl curiously asked. She looked in the direction he was staring but didn’t see anything worth her attention.
Vijan: [… Nothing.]
They continued down the guild hall, following the NPC to an elevator at the other end. After a patterned set of clicks on the button, the elevator doors opened to a small black room speckled with white dots similar to stars. As the four of them entered, the butler pressed a button on the other end and smiled as the doors closed on them. Once the doors shut, the elevator turned into a space-like room with the descension feeling like zero gravity.
Fiona: [Why do I get the feeling that we’re all going to die?]
Looking down at the floor, Fiona felt her stomach turn from the never-ending darkness. The space aesthetic was messing with her mind and a fear of heights was kicking in.
Isaac: [We’ll be fine. If all goes according to plan, this should be an in-and-out venture.]
Cody: [While we’re here, how do you go about paying Ryan for his troubles? I’m hoping you don’t plan to pay him out of pocket.]
Isaac: [Well, yeah.]
Cody stared at him with a blank face.
Isaac: [What? Wiping someone’s memories can’t cost that much, can it?]
Cody: [IT’S A SERIOUS CRIME, DUMBASS!]
Isaac: [So what? It’s not like anyone will know.]
Vijan: [Why are we wiping my memories?] Both of the generals turned to the ninja. [If you don’t mind me asking.]
Cody: [Your memories of the real world are locked behind the memories you hold of this one. You remember what you saw after the cuffs unlocked, right?]
Vijan: [I didn’t see much. I… felt something unfamiliar, and heard things I don’t remember.]
Cody: [Those were a memory from your life before you were transported. To unlock them, you need to have your memories wiped.]
Vijan: [But why?]
Isaac: [Don’t ask us, man. We’re just following orders.]
Fiona: [You guys reference a “real world” like this isn’t one. Why is that?]
Cody: [It’s how the boss references it. We don’t know about anything going on. It’s like Isaac said, we’re just following orders.]
Fiona: [You asked if I was from the real world. Where I’m from there’s a version of all three of you. Could your boss be trying to–]
Isaac: [We said we don’t have a clue. I’ll give you the option to sit down and talk with the boss after everything is done. For now, we continue as planned and hope for the best.]
The elevator doors opened and revealed the bottom of a massive ravine with colorful buildings hanging from the sides, shops scattered around the bottom, and hundreds of people walking about with smiles on their faces.
Fiona expected the opposite when she heard the generals talking about the place like a hell hole. The way they described it was like the hood or a back alley black market, where no life was thriving, and everyone just wanted to get out. She stepped out of the space-themed elevator and looked around in awe. The generals, however, clenched their teeth and walked around with a funny feeling in their stomachs.
Cody: [Let’s find the guy and get out of here quick.]
Isaac: [He shouldn’t be far from here.]
Fiona: [Finding anything in this place is impossible! Finding one guy is like finding a needle in a haystack.]
Isaac: [From what I heard, he has a pretty big business down here. Look out for billboards and signs with his face on them.]
Fiona: [You mean to tell me you have billboards but no motor vehicles?]
Isaac: [Pictures on signs aren’t a feat of technology, Fiona.]
Fiona flinched her eyebrows.
Cody: [Why would a person breaking the law advertise his practices? (chuckling) It’s almost like he wants to get caught.]
Vijan: [Know your enemy and know yourself. Guards are on a constant lookout for what you can’t see that they ignore what’s blatantly obvious.]
Pointing up at a billboard above a building, Vijan got the others to turn to it.
A young boy, not much younger than the few, had his arms crossed with a black cap resting on his head. Beside his head and in bold text read “The Underground Psychic!” He wasn’t too excited to be in the frame, yet an explosive yellow and red frame was around him.
Cody: [That’s… a child.]
Isaac: [That, is the person that’s going to help our asses.]
Fiona: [When you guys said Ryan, I thought you were talking about some grown-ass adult. Not the kid in middle school.]
Vijan: [Regardless of his age, he’s dangerous and has seen a lot. Don’t underestimate him.]
Stepping ahead, Vijan walked into the crowd flooding the central path.
The others followed him into the crowd and had a hard time keeping up with him. If he hadn’t been as tall as he was, they would’ve quickly lost him in the crowd, and likely have split up. While keeping a lookout for Ryan’s shop, they stopped by several merchant stands for information.
The people of the Underground treated Cody and Isaac as if they were working for the guards, and withheld information as long as they were involved. Thankfully for them, Fiona had a way with words and managed to convince the NPCs that she was unassociated.
Ryan’s business was popular, much like Isaac had said. He wouldn’t just work for people with bad intentions, but also with royalty and common folk. His name wasn’t just associated with the Underground, and his prices weren’t fair because of it. Ryan didn’t run by a “One Price fits all” quota. Depending on his customer’s status, role, gender, and intentions, the cost of his work would change.
After getting his shop’s location, the four began to devise a plan to take advantage of Ryan’s bias.
Cody: [We know that he lowers the price for hot white mature women, Veterans, and babes. He doesn’t work with customers younger than him, or people that work directly with royals, and he gets easily agitated. What’s the plan?]
Isaac: [The fact that he lowers his prices must mean it’s expensive. I can’t spend all of my money on this.]
Fiona: [If he’s into babes, why don’t you just send me in?]
The three boys turned to her and stared, eyes narrowed and unamused.
Fiona: [What?]
Isaac: [Now isn’t the time for jokes.]
Fiona: [I wasn’t joking. Think about it! Regardless of if I’m his type, I can negotiate the fee. Guys his age fold easily in front of a girl.]
Isaac: [You may be right…]
He turned to Cody to hear his opinion.
Cody: [What other choice do we have? If he sees the two of us, he’ll cancel the negotiations there. He knows Vijan too, so he’d probably connect the dots.]
Fiona grinning: [I’m your only hope right now.]
Cody: [Don’t forget that you’re the one that made us change plans.]
Isaac: [Ryan’s shop shouldn’t be just around the corner. We’re depending on you, Fiona.]
With a nod, Fiona ran through the crowd and turned the corner. Once passed the crowd, Fiona caught sight of the bright yellow shop on the second floor of the stone wall. Like a cave under a tent, the shop blended in with the rest of the surrounding shops, only with its name in bright red plastered on the yellow fabric.
Fiona patted down her hair and dusted off her coat. She exhaled on her hand to catch a whiff of her breath, shook her hands to loosen her limbs, and smiled elegantly ahead.
She walked up the stairs and entered the cave with a knock on the open door. She entered cautiously and observed the dimly lit room. It was fairly empty with candles and cards making up most of the aesthetic. Fiona didn’t know what to make of the room and called out for a response.
Fiona: [Hello?!]
There was no response for some time. She continued down the shop’s hall in search of the boy she was supposed to wow.
Fiona: [Is Ryan here?]
Suddenly she heard a shuffle in the back of the room and saw a bright purple light glow. Fiona stepped back and raised her guard.
Ryan: [How can I help you?]
His deep prepubescent voice startled her. The young boy from the billboard stepped out of the shadows and put on his cap.
Ryan: [Fiona.]
Fiona: [You know me?]
Ryan: [You can’t hide much from a psychic, girl.]
Fiona: [Then you know why I’m here.]
Ryan: [My powers aren’t as great as the human deity, but I do know who you are.]
Fiona silently: [The deity? (out loud) Anyway, do you know anything about a second life through memories?]
Ryan: [A few days back, when Princess Ruby’s memories were announced to be erased and the whole shebang with a second life was discovered, I decided to bring it upon myself to study it.]
Fiona: [So you wiped your memories?]
Ryan: [It was risky.]
He took a seat on the other side of the table and crossed his hands.
Ryan: [I later realized that if I didn’t have a second life, my memories of this world would be permanently gone.]
Fiona: [Then that means you know about Winooski.]
Ryan: [That’s correct. You appearing at my doorstep means that Ruby and I aren’t the only ones that were transported. I hope you understand what this entails.]
Fiona eccentrically: [That makes things so much easier!]
She ran up to Ryan’s table and clasped his hands between hers. Her bright smile caught Ryan off guard and forced a blush out of him.
Fiona: [There’s another, and they need your help!]
Ryan: [Wha-wha-wha-!]
Fiona: [I’ll get them! Give me a bit!]
Ryan: [Fiona! Wait!]
He reached his hands out and shut the door in front of Fiona. She was taken by surprise and turned to the boy who now had glowing purple hair.
Ryan: [What do you mean there are others?!]
Fiona confused: [I have a friend waiting outside for–]
Ryan: [Are they a woman?!]
Fiona’s entire face shifted the moment she heard Ryan’s question. Once wide-eyed, now narrowed and in disgust, she sighed and put a hand on the doorknob.
Fiona: [What do you have in mind?]
Ryan: [That means I really am the protagonist…]
He grinned and sat tall on the seat.
Ryan: [The Isekai adventure I’ve only heard about in anime! A haram of beautiful girls, a roaring business, and a power to die for! This is the dream!]
Fiona: [They’re a guy, by the way. Vijan, if you remember him by name.]
The psychic was quickly taken out of his fantasy and raised his head.
Ryan: [Hold on… Vijan, the Hydra ninja? He’s here and he’s from our world?]
Fiona: [Watch the drool, kid. He isn’t all that.]
Ryan: [There are no other girls?]
Fiona: [Not that I know of. Now, can you open the door?]
As his hair faded out of purple, the pull on the door released and allowed Fiona to walk out. As soon as she did, Ryan lowered his head and began to think out loud.
Ryan: [Vijan and Fiona being here means that other people must’ve been transported. Who else could have been brought here, and how?]
He furrowed his eyebrows and grumbled.
Ryan: [Fiona had already known about the real world, too, but she claims Vijan doesn’t. What’s the deal with her? Did she wipe her own memory?]
As he stood up, he walked to the nearest card facing down and lifted it. The image of the demon lord sticking out its long slim tongue, in front of a silver moon and surrounded by six floating figures.
Ryan: [It’s possible that the rest of the school was summoned. If that’s the case, then…]
After a moment of thinking, he widened his eyes and gasped.
Ryan: [That means–!]
Fiona: [Hey! I’m back!]
Ryan turned to Fiona’s voice and saw her standing beside the Hydra ninja with a smile.
Vijan: [Hey,]
Ryan surprised: [How did you get away from Leviere’s jail?]
Fiona: [Jail? Listen, I just need you to wipe his memory.]
Ryan: [You expect me to help a war criminal?]
Fiona: [I imagine you’ve done way worse.]
The psychic rolled his eyes with disapproval. Though she wasn't wrong, he didn't want to help Vijan for nothing. Had Fiona brought another girl in, maybe he would've had another idea.
Ryan: [I don’t think you understand what doing this implies.]
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Fiona crossed her hands and narrowed her eyes.
Ryan: [Say this is the Vijan we know. If I wipe his memories, it could take weeks for him to recover from the constant flooding of memories. When he comes back, he won’t be the same person as he was before the wipe.]
Fiona: [I don’t see the problem here.]
Ryan: [Tampering with the memories of a criminal of his caliber could make us criminals as well. The work I do is with trusted customers and always on the down-low. A job like this is insanely risky, and not something I want to be involved in.]
Fiona: [What if I told you fixing him up could take us back home?]
Ryan: [Do I look like an idiot to you?]
Vijan: [She isn’t lying.]
Caught by surprise, Ryan turned to the hydra ninja who had his arms crossed and eyes narrowed.
Vijan: [We were sent here by the demon lord.]
Fiona lowered a brow.
Ryan scared: [… the demon lord?]
Vijan: [That’s right. You wouldn’t disobey the demon lord, would you?]
Ryan: [What does the demon lord want to do with your memories?]
Fiona: [Studying the other world.]
She caught up with Vijan’s nonsense.
Vijan: [You’re the only person with your power that is willing to help someone like the demon lord, so why don’t we skip the antics and get right into it?]
Ryan: [Fine! What kind of protagonist am I?]
Vijan took a seat near Ryan’s table and watched as his hair turned purple. The door behind Fiona shut and the lights around them dimmed.
Ryan: [Is the demon lord certain that you had a body in the real world?]
Taking off his cap, Ryan sat on his chair and looked at the ninja sitting in front of him.
Ryan: [You could forget everything.]
Vijan: [He’s positive. Stop wasting time.]
Fiona: [This doesn’t take that long, does it?]
The psychic's purple hair dimmed as he closed his eyes.
Ryan: [The erasing is instant. Returning his memories is what takes a long time.]
Fiona: [And how long will that take?]
Ryan: [Depends. Judging by his level, it could take anywhere from two days to a week.]
Fiona: [Then I’ll go out and find a good place to stay for a bit. I’ll check back in later.]
After receiving a nod, Fiona walked out of the building and returned to the generals that led her there.
Ryan faced his palms toward Vijan’s head and took a deep breath. His dim purple hair began to slowly get brighter and illuminate the dark room with its glow. Vijan sat patiently, his eyes closed and body relaxed. Whatever the Paladin of Jime wanted from this, all he knew was that he no longer would have to be held prisoner… and his partners.
Vijan: [Wait,]
Suddenly stiffening up and grabbing onto Ryan’s wrists, Vijan opened his eyes and watched the bright light begin to fade.
Ryan: [I was almost done!]
Vijan: [Will the memories of my friends remain?]
Ryan confused: [What?]
Vijan: [You said that you cleared your memories, right?]
Ryan nodded.
Vijan: [Did you remember your friends?]
Ryan: [Not until I reverted the spell, but my feelings toward them were different.]
Vijan: [What do you mean?]
Ryan: [Reverting the wiped memories is just like dusting off a rug and moving the dust under the rug. You remember the dust is there, but it’s faint. You’ll have the memories of your friends in this world, but they will be overshadowed by your relationships from the real world.]
Vijan: [So I won’t like my friends as much?]
Ryan: [Think about it as if you had an aunt that never visited, but you remember her vaguely. It’s pretty much the same thing.]
Vijan lowered his head and began to think.
Ryan: [Are you ready now or is there another question?]
Vijan: [Could you keep the memories from the last two years?]
Ryan: [My powers aren’t as great as the human deity. All I can do is erase and return.]
Vijan: [Then… continue.]
Once again shutting his eyes, Vijan allowed Ryan to wipe his memories, though his body remained tense.
Hydra was a team he wasn’t a part of for long, but the memories he made with them were something of a gem in his heart, one he didn’t wish to forget. His chaotic feud with Omar, playful banter with Heirloom, rides across the world on Erma’s back, and the recent development with the Queen of Penn.
Those were the memories he didn’t wish to forget, but before he could tell Ryan to stop, he opened his eyes and suddenly didn’t know where he was. Still in the room with the brightly-haired mage, he looked around in a daze.
Ryan: [How do you feel?]
Vijan turned back to the mage as his glowing hair began to fade away.
Vijan softly: [What the fuck?]
He glanced around again and scratched his head.
Vijan: [Where are we?]
Ryan: [Do you remember your name?]
Vijan confused: [Yeah… Vijan. And you?]
Ryan: [I’m Ryan.]
Vijan: [Were we teleported to a new world? Did we die and get sent here?]
The boy stood up and walked toward one of the potion stands on the side of the cave. As he reached for a potion, he noticed his scarred hands and muscular physique.
Vijan chuckling: [Holy shit!]
Ryan: [Looks like it worked. It’s difficult to explain, but I wiped your memories allowing your real self to take control of your body.]
Vijan: [My real self?]
He clutched his fingers together and smiled.
Vijan: [I knew I had it in me!]
Ryan: [Don’t mistaken this as your story in another world, Vijan.]
The psychic kicked his seat back and threw his feet on the table.
Ryan: [All the bad bitches are mine, you understand?]
Vijan: [There are bad bitches? What kind of world were we summoned to?]
Ryan: [One with hot-ass anime girls! It’s a dream come true!]
Vijan: [Are you serious?]
He turned to the doors separating him from the rest of the world.
Vijan: [So it’s like Sword Art Online…]
With a gasp he turned back to Ryan.
Vijan: [IS THE FOOD HERE GOOD?!]
Ryan: [HELL YEAH IT IS!]
The both of them grew wide smiles and raised their voices.
Vijan: [ARE THERE MONSTERS TO GET EXP?!]
Ryan: [YOU BET THERE ARE!]
Vijan: [I’m actually here… I have to see for myself!]
Vijan turned back for the door and rushed to the handle. Before he could reach it, he suddenly lost control over his own body and froze.
Ryan: [I’m gonna have to stop you there, buddy.]
A strand of Ryan’s hair shined purple as he walked in front of the boy.
Ryan: [There’s more we have to do here.]
Vijan struggling: [More?]
Ryan: [You’ve gotta get your memories from this world to be of any use to the demon lord. Else he’ll come after me for disobeying his orders.]
Vijan: [Demon lord? What are you going on about?]
Ryan: [I’m not helping you out of the kindness of my heart, y’know?]
Vijan: [You’ve never been the type–]
Ryan: [Awww, somebody that knows me.]
He placed a hand on his chest and smiled, but only for a moment.
Ryan: [Let’s get this over with asap.]
As Ryan raised Vijan with his telekinetic powers, he looked out the peephole and caught sight of Fiona impatiently staring at the door.
Ryan: [Crap, did she hear us?!]
Vijan: [Can you explain what’s going on?]
Vijan was forced into the seat he suddenly appeared in and couldn’t move. He noticed a transparent purple glow around his wrists and legs that chained him down.
Ryan: [It’ll be faster to just return your memories.]
Ryan returned to his table and sighed.
Vijan: [I don’t understand.]
Ryan: [I know… you will in time.]
Holding his hand out, a book cased in leather and bandages poofed into his palm. It had Vijan’s name written in a golden text. The size of the book was large and had various color-coded bookmarks across the top. This was his book of memories. Though slightly smaller than Ruby’s, it had more bookmarks. Despite its size, the book gently landed in Ryan’s hand as he grunted from the weight.
Ryan: [Jesus! What the hell?!]
Vijan: [Is that a grimoire?]
Ryan: [No, it’s your book of memories.]
He handed the book to the boy and watched him struggle to hold it up.
Ryan: [All you’ve gotta do is open it and all your memories will return.]
Vijan: [Will it hurt?]
Ryan: [Like hell. It’ll probably be the most pain you’ve ever felt. Like a migraine multiplied by infinity.]
Vijan: [What the hell!]
Ryan: [It isn’t for a short time either. After your first few years of memories, you’ll feel like you’re about to die.]
Vijan: [For how long?!]
Ryan: [A few minutes at least, an hour at most. Judging by the size of that book, my guess is the full hour.]
Vijan: [Hell no!]
He threw the book back at Ryan.
Vijan: [I’m not putting up with that shit!]
Ryan: [Dude, c’mon. We can do this the easy way or the hard way. The choice is yours.]
Vijan: [I’m not putting myself up to that!]
Ryan: [The hard way it is.]
The glow around Vijan’s wrists reappeared and forced them back on the chair handles. The book began to float toward him and stopped in front of his face.
Vijan shouting: [Ryan! Please think about this!]
Ryan: [I don’t want to die, Vijan. Don’t take this personally.]
As the book slowly opened, a tiny orb made of light came out of the page and hovered between Vijan’s nose and the book. The boy pulled his head back and cowered at the thought of the upcoming pain. He shut his eyes and shouted.
Vijan: [Ryan! Please don’t do this!]
Ryan: [Shut up!]
The orb suddenly shot into Vijan’s head, pushing his head back and forcing his eyes to stare up at the ceiling. The light from the orb began to spew out of every hole on Vijan’s body. His body began to illuminate, and the light shooting out of his eyes and nose nearly blinded Ryan. Even though the room was already bright, the light acted like a flashbang.
The light suddenly came to a halt and gave the boy some time to breathe.
Vijan: [That wasn’t so bad…]
After a chuckle, he continued.
Vijan: [You overreacted–]
As his head suddenly jerked upwards, a bright light filled the space around him. The previously dark and empty void that he had been floating in was now replaced with a vivid and immersive world. Memories began to flood his mind, starting from the very moment he was born. It was as though he was transported back in time to experience every moment of his life all over again.
As the memories came flooding back, he felt everything as if he was there, experiencing the emotions, sights, sounds, tastes, and smells that accompanied each moment. The sadness on his parents' faces, the wooden tent they were staying in, and the cries that filled the air all became vividly clear. He could feel the emotions of every person around him, and the sensory input was so intense that it was as though he was experiencing everything in real-time, day by day, hour by hour.
However, the sheer volume of information that was bombarding his senses soon became overwhelming. Memories that should have taken years to recount were being experienced within a matter of seconds. His head began to throb, and his muscles ached as he tried to process everything he was experiencing. The intensity of the sensations grew until he could no longer endure the discomfort, and he let out a scream that caught Ryan off-guard. Despite the shock, Ryan quickly composed himself, ready for whatever lay ahead.
Because he could feel everything, Vijan’s brain simulated the feeling of his inhuman training at a young age. It even went as far as to simulate the muscle aches and torture of his family. The late-night assault from his dad, mental abuse from his mom, and shunning from social events by friends quickly got to him. His childhood years weren’t what he was expecting from this fantasy world. These weren’t the memories of someone who was going to become a hero.
He began to cry through his screams. This was too much for him. For the last half hour, he was crying and screaming. His throat went coarse and his eyes dry. His childhood memories moved onto his adolescent years and started with a bang.
On the first day of the new year, the tree that surrounded his village began to lose its leaves for the first time ever. The cries and screams of those who interacted with the leaves haunted the little boy as he watched everyone vaporize. An entire civilization was wiped out in a few hours. His friends, family, and loved ones, were all gone… yet he felt at peace for the first time ever. He was free from their constant pressure, training, and work. He could leave the village for once and live the life he dreamed of, yet he couldn’t.
His head pulsed again and a wave of pain unlike the rest struck him. Like a punch to the throat, he shot his head down. Like a migraine he clasped his hands over his head, breaking free from Ryan’s grasp. Like a firstborn child, he cried his dried lungs out until he couldn’t speak. His screams turned to coughs and his eyes went bloodshot.
Maybe it's a test?
He spent his first year defending the village of travelers, like a dog afraid of leaving its home. Anyone that would come near would feel his wrath, and be killed on the spot. It’s his duty to protect the village.
Everyone will be back.
Years went by of constant fighting and survival off of whatever he could find around. Every night he would sleep starving and weak, but he couldn’t leave. He was raised to defend his village. Shortly after the death of King Siris and the reign of Didus, Vijan was challenged by an army of warriors sent by Leviere for investigation on the land. He barely escaped with his life and struggled to find a place to live.
He traveled the Northeast in hopes of finding a new home, yet nowhere would accept him. The people had heard about the incident with Marinosa and tagged his name to it. The Marinosa Massacre.
An entire village, in one night.
He walked for months in search of a place to call home. On his journey, he came across a young dragon tamer feeding a rather small dragon. The tamer offered Vijan a place to live, and for years the two worked together to fulfill the Tamer’s goal of true peace.
One day the tamer returned to the base damaged and with a new person. The two quickly became rivals, and the rest became history.
The memories came to an end and Vijan’s cries followed. He collapsed onto Ryan’s desk and slowly shut his eyes with the fading light. He sat in front of Ryan almost lifeless, his body growing cold as time passed.
Ryan sat up with a sigh and walked toward the door putting on his cap. With a crack of his neck and a stretch of his shoulders, he pushed the door open and sat on the porch before the stairs. He caught sight of Fiona standing beside another shop and sighed.
Ryan: [It will be over soon…]
Raising his hand, he caught Fiona’s attention and watched her squeeze her way through the crowd. Her small and plump body would oftentimes get stuck between some people, which led to her silently yelling at the crowd. As soon as she got out, she dusted her dress and smiled.
Ryan whispering: [It’ll be over soon.]
Fiona: [Is it done? I thought you said it’ll take a few days.]
Ryan: [Erasing them was instant. Giving them back takes a while.]
Fiona: [Oh, y’know everyone could hear his screams, right? I was getting concerned.]
Ryan: [I did the job. Please leave me alone.]
Fiona: [The job isn’t done yet, buddy.]
She took a seat beside him and slipped her hands between her thighs. Ryan glanced at her smooth plump skin lump over her hand and felt his heart race.
Fiona: [What’s it like?]
She turned to him and caught him in the middle of his thoughts.
Ryan: [What?]
He cleared his throat.
Fiona: [Having your memory cleared, what’s it like?]
Ryan: [You mean you’ve never had your memories cleared?]
Fiona shook her head.
Ryan: [But you–]
Fiona: [I’ve known everything since I got here.]
Ryan: [Well then… it hurts a lot. Your head feels like it’s going to explode for a few minutes, then you black out. Then you’re forced to watch a life you didn’t know you had unfold in front of you like a dream… or nightmare.]
Fiona: [Ouch. Did you tell him that before wiping them?]
Ryan: [Yeah, he tried to run away.]
Fiona laughed a little bit.
Fiona: [I would’ve, too!]
The two of them laughed together.
Fiona: [Being able to explore this world without a burden on you is amazing! I feel bad for him.]
Ryan: [I know what you mean. Before I followed my own instructions, I took a trip around the area. It made me realize that our world is a piece of shit.]
Fiona: [Followed your own instructions?]
Ryan: [After I wiped my memories, I found a journal left behind by my new world self. I wrote instructions for myself to follow in case I forgot how to use my abilities, and what to do before I did the spell.]
Fiona: [Oh! That’s so cool! I wish I had powers.]
Ryan: [You’re a regular person?]
Fiona nodded.
Ryan:[Wow. You feel bad for Vijan, but I think he'd feel even worse for you.]
Fiona: [Yeah? I want to know what it’s like to shoot fire out of my hands or some shit.]
She imitated blasting an energy beam out of her palm.
Fiona: [A tingle or something that’ll make me feel all good inside.]
Ryan: [Well… there’s sex.]
Fiona: [Calm down, buddy.]
She moved her palm to Ryan’s face and laughed.
Ryan: [It’s cool for the first few minutes, then you get used to it.]
Fiona: [That’s a boring answer.]
She lowered her hand and slipped it back into her thigh.
Fiona: [You’re boring!]
Ryan: [Yeah?]
He lowered his head and chuckled.
Ryan: [Not a protagonist trait, right?]
Fiona: [You’re the protagonist of your own life, man. Make of it what you want.]
Ryan: [Yeah…]
The two sat in silence for a moment before Ryan broke it with a laugh.
Ryan: [Did you know there are no smokes or alcohol in this world? When people are stressed they either drink Appi juice or just fight the monsters. Expending mana gives the same effect as a stress releaser.]
Fiona: [What’s Api juice?]
Ryan: [Oh, man, it's amazing. It has the same effect as alcoholic drinks, without the shit taste and dangers! It even comes in different levels like a fucking tier list. When you get the time, you have to try it.]
Fiona: [I’ll have to try it out. I can’t use magic, so it’s my only option.]
For the first time in a long time, Ryan felt connected to someone in the world of fantasy. He had hope for his protagonist fantasy and wanted to hold onto it. With a cute girl by his side and laughing with him as he spoke. This was everything he could’ve asked for.
As the two began to slowly get to know each other and converse, they heard the door behind them creek open. They both turned to the door and saw the Hydra Ninja step out with his eyes narrowed. Ryan couldn’t believe his eyes as Vijan stepped in front of them, holding onto the tent above their head.
Fiona: [I thought he was supposed to be out for a while.]
Ryan silently: [He is.]
Vijan: [Let’s go, Fiona. Our job here is done.]
Fiona: [Right.]
As Fiona stood up and went to him, Ryan saw the hope he had leave with her. As much as he wanted to let out a hand to get her, he didn’t want to come across as a creep.
Fiona: [How are you done already?]
Vijan: [I heal quick.]
Fiona: [You were crying a moment ago. Drop the cool act.]
Vijan: [Excuse my moment of weakness. Let’s just get back to the others.]
Just before the two could leave the tent,
Ryan: [Wait!]
He caught their attention.
Ryan: [Can I join you guys?]
Vijan and Fiona turned to each other and shrugged.
Ryan: [It's been forever since I got to have a normal conversation with someone, and it felt good... really good. There are things about this world that I know more than anyone else, so I know I won't be a burden!]
Fiona: [Sorry, dude. Not our call to make.]
Vijan: [The demon lord wouldn’t like your presence.]
Ryan: [Right… the demon lord.]
Fiona: [Thanks for your help, though! It was nice talking to someone from the real world for once.]
Ryan's face was heavy with melancholy as he watched the two people walk away. As they disappeared from sight, he let out a heavy sigh and trudged back into his workshop, shutting the door behind him.
He leaned his back against the door, his gaze sweeping across the room that he had called home since arriving in this new world. The place that he had spent countless hours alone, while the people he knew were out there exploring an exciting and adventure-filled world.
As he stood there, he realized that he couldn't just sit around and wait for things to happen. He needed to take control of his life and make his dreams a reality. He knew that he wasn't the protagonist, but he also realized that he didn't have to be.
He took a deep breath and pushed the door open, determined to seek out the two people who had invaded his home. He knew that if he wanted to live the life he had always dreamed of, he needed to fight for it.
With a newfound sense of determination, Ryan stepped out into the world, ready to take on whatever challenges lay ahead. He wasn't going to let anyone stand in his way, and he would fight tooth and nail to achieve his goals.
----------------------------------------
Fiona and Vijan made it to a hotel room that the Jime knights reserved. As they entered the room, Cody and Isaac were waiting for them at the other side of the room.
Cody: [Back already?]
Fiona: [Surprisingly.]
Isaac: [Well? Did it work?]
Vijan: [Yeah, I remember everything now. I still don’t know why you guys went through all the hassle, though.]
Cody: [We told you; we’re just following orders. You can ask OJ yourself when we get back.]
Vijan: [Whatever he’s paying you, he has some other plan. The OJ I know never did anything without benefit to himself.]
Cody: [And it means nothing to us. We follow orders, that’s it. C’mon, let’s go.]
Vijan: [Neither of you have the power to stop me from running away. I could escape right now, free my friends, and get away scot-free with the power I have. People will see me, and blame OJ and Jime for my escape.]
Cody: [Jime will be under fire and we’ll lose our jobs! We got you your memories back, and that is how you’ll repay us?!]
Vijan: [I missed the part where that’s my problem.]
Cody: [You had your memories returned, didn’t you?]
Cody angrily turned to Fiona and growled.
Cody: [You had one job!]
Vijan: [She left as soon as Ryan started. This was my request. She had no idea.]
Cody turned back to him and clenched his teeth.
Cody: [What exactly do you want?]
Vijan: [Answers. I’m tired of following a bunch of henchmen.]
Cody: [We’re taking you to the man that has the answers. What part of that don’t you understand?]
Fiona: [Vijan… whoever OJ is and whatever he has in mind with you, it has to somehow be in your favor. Why don’t you give them the chance?]
Vijan: [The OJ we know and the OJ of this world are vastly different characters. He isn’t the Paladin of Aveay for no reason.]
Fiona: [Yeah, like I’m supposed to know the requirements to become whatever you said, which doesn’t even matter anyway!]
The girl walked up to the ninja and pushed her pointer finger onto his chest.
Fiona: [Now isn’t the time to switch up on the two that helped you get your memories back.]
Vijan: [They only did it because they were ordered to. That’s the reason you’re here to begin with.]
Fiona: [And I’m grateful for that! You should be too.]
Vijan: [Grateful for what? They pulled me from the only life I know.]
Fiona: [And led the way to a greater, more frivolous life!]
Vijan: [Greater? More frivolous? Do you not remember what we’ve been doing for the last few days?! We’ve been on the run, Fiona! There’s nothing great about it!]
Fiona: [I would take that over rotting in a cell any day of the week.]
Vijan flinched back as she stepped toward him. The confidence in her eyes was in stark contrast to the weary and confused stare he was giving her.
Fiona: [OJ freed you, he helped you get your memories back, and now he wants your help. You owe him that much.]
Vijan: [I don’t owe anyone anything.]
Fiona: [Are you an idiot or something–!]
As Fiona argued with the ninja, she suddenly felt a sharp pain in her head. The pain was so intense that she let out a grunt and fell to her knees. At that moment, she felt as though her head was going to explode. The three boys stepped back cautiously. Fiona continued to hold her head tightly, hoping the pain would subside soon.
Was this reaction similar to what happened at Marinosa?
Isaac: [Are you okay, Fiona?]
Fiona's cries didn't simply continue, they grew louder and more desperate as the people outside the hotel stopped in caution, listening to the distressing sounds emanating from within. Soon, a crowd had gathered around the building, drawn in by the intensity of Fiona's wailing.
As she stood there, tiny bolts of lightning flickered across her body, moving up towards her head like a surreal electric aura. Her limbs jerked and twisted in a glitch-like manner, shifting colors and dimensions as if she was a character in a video game being manipulated by some unseen force.
The three boys standing near her took slow steps back, their faces displaying a mix of fear and confusion as the world around Fiona began to warp and distort as if reality itself was being affected by her emotional state.
Fiona: [AUGHHHHH!!]
The door burst open and a civilian entered the room. Upon seeing the chaos, they were frightened and ran to Fiona's aid. However, they were forced back by a sudden gust of wind. As a result, everyone in the room was slammed against the walls and unable to break free.
She lifted her head, and as she did, the torn and peeling skin on her face became visible. With a burst of energy, she screamed at the top of her lungs, and in that moment, a bright red beam of fiery light shot up into the sky. The beam was so intense that it tore through the roof of the hotel, and the debris rained down on the surrounding area. Even the ceiling of the underground was shredded to pieces.
Vijan was taken aback by the sudden turn of events. As he looked at the beam of light, he couldn't help but feel a sense of foreboding. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up, and his teeth began to chatter with fear. It seemed like something terrible was about to happen, and he couldn't escape it.