"Sniffle, nuuu~..." Issei sobbed quietly, "Heavenly ryokan, don't abandon us...!"

"It's the other way around, we're the ones leaving it." I dragged him through the front door, "Come on, we gotta continue on to the next place."

"Ryokan... Fare the well." Ouroboras too acted odd, even going so far as to shed but a single manly tear as he did a praying gesture at the door, "May we meet again soon."

Seriously, when we first met I thought this guy was the most savage, dangerous person I'd ever meet in my life, but turns out he's just like all the other Gods. Maybe that whole shtick about being super unfriendly and cold to humans was just them trying to keep us away from them? Either way, he doesn't seem to be holding back at all ever since we booked the night at the ryokan.

"Well, that's two-err, scratch that, that's just one tick off the checklist - Watch an anime." Issei crossed it off after composing himself.

"Right, we definitely did not visit an onsen just yet." Ouroboras nodded.

"That's right, this was a ryokan. Right, Ouri?"

"Indeed. Totally different, Issei Kaido."

It's like they share one communal braincell, and they each have to take turns on who gets to use it at a time.

"But man, we ended up binging the entire thing from start to finish." I rubbed my Eyes, "We ended up staying awake for like half the night because of that. I'm tired, but satisfied."

"Right? The ending always sets me in a philosophical mood." Issei smiled.

"Of course, the symbolisms found in each episode cater to those with keen Eyes." Ouroboras went off, "A masterpiece in the world of modern storytelling that encompasses a vast variety of philosophies, each culminating into something everyone had expected would happen from the start, but it also came as a complete surprise for first time watchers."

"You're being so vague about the ending." Issei raised an Eyebrow, "We all watched it, you can be more specific because we can't be spoiled now."

"Maybe he doesn't wanna accidentally spoil any of the readers who haven't had a chance to experience it for themselves yet, which I can respect."

By the way, you guys should totally check it out if you haven't already. I feel like I just found the best piece of fiction ever created, and it's not even from this world. Truly peak in every sense of the word. I heard from these two that there's a version of the story written in a comic book format, so I might have to smuggle that back home so I can keep it on my shelf. I'd like to have something as thought provoking and fun to read as Death Note all the time.

"By the way, if you liked Death Note, you're gonna LOVE Attack on Titan." Issei raised his finger.

"Oh, another recommendation?" Ouroboras chimed in, "Then if it's similarities you are looking for, there is none better than Code Geass."

"Hey, speaking of animanga..." Issei pondered aloud, "Since we're in the year 2033, I wonder if One Piece ended yet."

"Ah, that is right, you have not been in the loop for quite some time." Ouroboras returned an understanding nod, "In truth, the One Piece is..."

They kept talking about some other show, apparently. I have no clue what it's about, since I haven't seen it, but it seems to have quite the long run behind it. I tried shutting my ears so as to not get spoiled, but they assured me the story is so long and full that even if I did get spoiled, I wouldn't understand a thing. Which ended up being true, because at first I thought it had something to do with pirates, but then they mentioned some gum fruit, then stretchy powers, then tons of disproportionately drawn male and female body standards, then a cackling skeleton with an afro... Really, none of it made any sense to me, so as much as I would like to tell you what the main mystery behind the One Piece is, dear reader - Sadly, I couldn't follow their conversation by the time they reached that part.

"Wait, we just left the onsen." I realized.

"Ryokan!" They both exclaimed.

"Right, whatever. In any case, we left the place, but where are we gonna go now?"

"Mn, who knows?" Issei shrugged, "Maybe we ought to visit Mount Fuji next. We couldn't really see it all too well from where we were, be it in Chiba or Ichihara, but if we took a train somewhere closer, I bet the view would be amazing."

"That would be quite the waste, would it not?" Ouroboras inquired, "If we are to visit the mountain, why settle for just seeing it from afar? Would it not be best to scale it and see this beautiful land from the top?"

"What is it with you Gods and wanting to always look down on the world? Is it projecting? Do you fear an even more powerful entity whom even you yourselves have never heard of?"

"Issei, quit it with the philosophical bullcrap." I flicked him on the head, "Either way, Ouroboras, I do think that mountains in general are better viewed from the base. It sets things to scale, seeing something so giant in front of your very Eyes."

"Besides that, it's also way colder on a mountain than it is at the bottom of it." Issei added, "As someone who scaled Mount Ivrys, I would know."

"That place is unfamiliar to me." Ouroboras furrowed his brows, "You must be referring to a location in Lune Grimheart's Universe Cycle."

Whoa, something even the Sun God doesn't know of? Isn't that like, impossible? But wait, if Universe Cycles are an endless linear timeline set one after another, then does that mean we are currently in a past Universe Cycle? Agh, my brain is using up too much thinking power. Never mind, I thought I was smarter after watching Death Note, but I guess you can't get smarter just from one cartoon.

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"Good ol' Fujiyama, huh?" Issei commented with a carefree tone, "It's a bit farther away, but we should be able to make it by noon, I think."

"These train vehicles are not to be messed with..." I thought, "So it'll really only take 2 hours?"

"1 hour, 58 minutes, 27 seconds." Ouroboras corrected.

That's... crazy. You're traveling so far, and in such a short time period. Not only that, but I don't feel at all sick, despite me being extremely motion sick whenever I enter a transport wagon. So is it really that? Is the cause of my motion sickness the shoddy and rickety rides the wagons of my world provide? Is it really true that the comfort of this world's advanced vehicles solves my lifelong issue? Now I KNOW I gotta take this idea back with me when I finally do get back home...

"Thanks again for paying for the trip, Ouri." Issei didn't forget the generosity, "It sure is convenient having you around for the journey. Frankly, I don't know what we would've done had Lune not bumped into you that day."

"We'd probably get by with pawning off luxury gold watches and the likes, but I'm not sure how long that'd sustain us." I joked.

"Indeed, people quickly get suspicious of such activities in this world." Ouroboras nodded, "You would probably get arrested under false suspicion of theft and/or selling fakes, but in truth, it would only become more dangerous once they found out you are innocent."

"Oh, that's a scary thought." Issei shrugged, "I much rather prefer the weeby Sun God instead. Stick with that instead, Ouri."

"Hrm..." He groaned, "As you wish. But do not expect these past few days to muddy your view of me as the Sun God. I am not your friend, nor am I anything but an object of worship to any mortal who roams this land."

"Friendsayswhat."

"I am not stupid, Issei Kaido." Ouroboras looked unamused, "For what you perceive as..."

"Ah! He said what! You heard it too, right Lune!?" Issei jumped on the chance to tease him.

"That what did not count, surely!"

"Wait, he said it again." I snickered, "Does that mean he's our friend x2? A best friend, perhaps?"

"That's... Grrr! Stop it this instant!" He raged, "You will cease this tomfoolery at once! Failure to comply will result in-!"

"What?" Issei defiantly asked the obvious.

"Hm? What, you ask?" Ouroboras tilted his head.

"Heh, made you say what again~!" Issei did a kissy face, "That makes us friends x3, which is more than best friends. Perhaps... lovers?"

"Pubes begone!"

"Ouch! I-I'm no masochist, b-but I'll try anything for you, baby..." Issei weakly gave a thumbs up.

"S-Shut up!"

One would assume this rather homoerotic, masochistic slapstick comedy to only serve its purpose of further enraging the Sun God, but it seems through all that embarrassment and anger lay a faint, barely noticeable but all too radiant smirk. He's a tsundere, alright. But this personality... When he's like this, he really does resemble Meil. It's almost freaky, in a way.

"Hey, that thing in the distance..." I noticed a snowy peak as I glanced out the window.

"Ah, there it is." Issei stopped the charades to enlighten me, "Mount Fuji, in the flesh. Pretty snazzy, I'd say."

"Snazzy, what an underwhelming word for such a sight." Ouroboras rolled his Eyes at the overly-shortened description, "I really must ask this, even though as a God I already know, but... Issei Kaido, are you truly one of your own? Think hard, now."

"I don't have to think hard about my lineage, fart fume!" Issei shot back, "And the hell's up with that phrasing like it's an important question that's gonna be on the upcoming test!?"

"Mayhaps the naturalization test?"

"I am a Japanese citizen!"

Ignoring these two idiots yet again, I simply must admit to letting my jaw fully drop after witnessing this mountain. We're so far away from it, and yet it still towers over the visage. On a bullet train barreling towards it at top speed, I still do not feel the distance between us and the large mountain getting any smaller. That's how big it is. Mount Fuji, Fujiyama, whatever it's called - Is glorious. A sight unlike anything you could ever see in my world. And yet, Issei and Ouroboras, who both hail from this world, or at least have been here longer than I have, only use it as a comparison for things to come. Will this journey produce even more amazing sights than this? A large part of me doubts that's even possible, and yet, my heart can't help but beat ever faster as I hope for that to be the case.

"Alright, I did spent a lot of my earlier years with Uncle Freddy over in America, but..." Issei continued to refute the Sun God's claims.

"So you admit you are foreign?" He couldn't resist egging him on further.

"Look, I have foreign family, but I'M local! What part of this do you not understand!?"

"Ah, we are arriving soon." Ouroboras suddenly tuned him out with a chipper tone.

"Oi! Don't ignore me, you damned oreo!"

"Oof, such harsh words to call your friend." Ouroboras teased, "I wonder, is this how you treat all your allies, Issei Kaido?"

"That's...! Ugh, since when did you get so cheeky!?" He pointed his finger at him.

"Ha-ha. Humorous." Ouroboras returned a deviously smug smirk.

And so, with the raging wails of the 30-year old Japanese teenager that most certainly bothered the other passengers, we had arrived safely at our next destination - Lake Kawaguchiko. I'm excited to find out what awaits us on this stop, what other wonders we'll see... And whether or not it will get us any closer to finding a way for me to get back home.