The man lets out another chuckle as he sets down his drink, dropping a handful of dollars next to it and standing up from his seat.
"Apologies for Kaiholo's tragic lack in explaining things. Let's find somewhere else to speak."
As you start walking out of the bar, a girl with black and blue hair stops you. She was slightly drunk, but enough to hold up her composure.
"Hey, these guys aren't threatening you, are they? I can take you home safely if you need, don't worry I can fight them off too if you're too scared to accept."
She was barely even waiting for a response as she started to grab your arm, giving you a caring look as the mysterious man in suspenders stopped her.
"Try again, Exxy. This is my case."
She huffed at the man and slid off, lurking around the building as you two leave. The moment you exit the doors, you're in a different area than when you entered. Are you even in the same state? The atmosphere had quite a contrast. You're in a parking garage for some corporate building. Whatever it is, you don't know, but there is a bit of an echo.
The man turns to you.
"What exactly do you know, Jenny?"
He inquires.
"I'll tell you what I don't know!" I snap. sister snapped "Your name and how the hell you know mine." I throw my hands up, feeling rather confused. The feelings from Yuki's cabin still surrounds me, which caused me to forget any of my manners. "Am I supposed to recognize you…?" I mutter under my breath. What if this man is my best friend and I can't even remember? Where are we?
The man holds up two defensive hands, attempting to calm you down as he smirks devilishly.
"Call me Tyler. We haven't met, but I know a lot about you." He snickers, eyeing Kaiholo. "Probably more than you know about yourself, thanks to Kaiholo here."
Kaiholo slouches where he was standing, clearly ashamed.
"He…he did at least tell you that part, right?"
He did what? Why?
I scoff and playfully punch Kai's shoulder, pitying the guilt-filled man. "And to think, you were about to leave me!" I shake my head and return my eyes to Tyler. "So what happened to me?"
Tyler eyes Kaiholo again, a solemnly suspicious glance as he looks back to you, straightening his back and placing one hand on his hip.
"He told me to remove your memories."
Kaiholo straightened up as well, defensive.
"That's not how it went, Ty, tell her the truth."
Tyler's eyes went dark and his skin's color grew more and more desaturated as he snaps at Kaiholo.
"Why don't you tell her the truth?"
Did it get dimmer in here? A dreadful feeling fell over you, suddenly things felt surreal, and you almost wanted to curl into a ball in a corner.
"Why don't you tell her the truth?"
I place a hand on my forehead, unsure of what was going on. Interrupting the bickering boys, I say, "For fuck's sake can someone please tell me what's going on? I don't care who! Just someone."
My eyes flicker between Tyler and Kai, waiting for someone to explain. I can't tell what time of day it is anymore, and the atmosphere felt strange and off.
Tyler and Kaiholo turn to you, not expecting your outburst as they both exhale slowly. Tyler speaks first.
"He told me you didn't take the truth too well."
His voice was cold and hardened, almost monotonous as he pulls out a cigarette and lights it.
"Started to get mentally ambitious. Kaiholo was worried about you, so he asked me to wipe all your memories of it, including all your memories of him."
He inhaled the fumes, smoke coming from his lungs as he muttered the next part.
"That was a lot of memories, though. Took a lot out of you."
Kaiholo sighs heavily.
"I'm sorry," He murmurs, his voice tight to keep from breaking.
I blink a few times. What does any of that even mean?
I do not process any of that, but instead inhale and formulate three questions. "Wait, what? I'm still confused about everything. What truth?"
Mentally ambitious?
What were Kai and I before my memory wipe?
Tyler chuckles at your question, turning back to Kaiholo.
"Well, I wouldn't want you to know it if it hurt you so much." Tyler says, placing the cigarette back into his mouth and inhaling again.
Kaiholo fidgeted, something you realize you haven't seen him do in a while.
"She wants to continue, so don't try anything like last time."
I stand there, bewildered. What could have possibly happened that would've hurt me of all people so badly? So much that they had to hide it?
"I-" I begin, but conclude that there probably won't be a straightforward answer. "Okay, but then what were Kai and I before?" I shift my balance, realizing I am getting rather tired and antsy.
Kaiholo looks away, rubbing the bottom of his face stressfully as he continues.
"Listen, Jen, you and I are different. I'm different for my own reasons, but we're different nevertheless. We see the bigger picture, and we understand that there's something more to this world than what others might think."
Tyler sighs, putting out his cigarette on the pillar he was leaning on, tossing it behind him as he walks up to you.
"We have no free will in this world." He mutters, his eyes looking at you with the most human look he's ever achieved thus far.
"Only an angel can rebel against God." Kaiholo mutters.
Tyler snaps his head back to Kaiholo, his words holding a sick anger.
"Don't quote that part of the book, that's exactly what you're afraid of." He hisses, turning back to you.
"I've only been given special privileges for the sake of exposition." He murmurs, leaning on one foot as he and Kaiholo exchange glances.
I groan, rubbing my tired eyes. "That's not even what I asked…" I murmur. "Okay, so we don't have free will, what does that have to do with me? Or why Kai brought me to the other world? And what special privileges?" I don't question the book, or the quote. Happy birthday, Hilde.
"What does that have to do with-It has everything to do with you." Tyler uttered, raising a suspicious eyebrow at you.
"No one in this world has free will. Even Kaiholo, who's aware of it, but there's a difference with you."
Kaiholo shuffled, approaching you slowly.
"You seem to be both the creator and the created. And yet you still have your limits. You're a variant, Jen."
Tyler gestures towards Kaiholo.
"You and Kiki here were close friends, at least until he told you he knows we're just characters. Like I said, you didn't take it too well and tried to tell him that you knew how to reach free will. Kaiholo was saddened by your ambition because he knew it was impossible, and the rest is history." He ended the last part with a bit of a forced grand tone as if to emphasize the reality of the end. Kaiholo sighed heavily.
"I was trying to protect you."
I raise an eyebrow at them. Protect me from what? Going insane?
I look curiously at Kai, a sudden realization popping up. "How do you know I'm the 'creator?'" I start to wonder if the voice in my head is really my voice. Am I me?
happy birth hilde
Kaiholo fidgeted.
"I don't, but I do."
He mutters, lowering his head and earning a suspicious glance from Tyler.
"Kiki?"
Tyler calls out, causing Kaiholo to snap back to look at the both of you.
"She…" He pauses, his mouth hanging slightly open in shock.
"I have to go, Jen, I'll return later, but I can't be with you at all times. Tyler?"
Tyler turns to Kaiholo and they both turn their backs on you, walking away and turning a corner until they were out of sight.
Out of sight, out of mind, right?
I watch the two walk away from me, leaving me alone in the garage in shock.
She…? His creator? Did she just…?
I run my fingers through my hair. I look around me, wondering where to go now. Anxiety wells up in me as I realize this is the first time I've been alone since I first woke up. I decide to turn around and go through the nearest door, which lets me into a building.
The building is eerily quiet, leading you to believe it's currently vacant, but it's cleanness and few lights that shined admitted that it was still in use. You decide to find the stairs. If you're in a parking garage, you wanted to reach the ground floor to leave, right? You find the door that led to the stairway and climb up two flights before opening the next door. What you were greeted with you could have never expected. All you heard was a click before you blinked, finding yourself staring down the barrel of a gun.
"Give me one good reason why I shouldn't shoot you right now." He growled, completely still.
if u kill me then the show wont go on:( come on jean:(
ok im kidding
I nearly sigh. It hasn't even been five minutes, and I was already in another predicament. I rub my eyes and shrug at the man, trying to hide my shaking hands. "Um, death is scary? Did I do something to you or something?" I squint my eyes at the man, wondering if I knew this man before I lost my memories. That would be absolutely horrible. What kind of person was I?
he shoots you on the spot
He stares at you for a few moments, unmoving, making you think he turned into a statue in the span it took you to respond. His glare is empty and cold, but he's still looking directly into you. Finally he tilts the gun upwards and a tiny grin barely shows through his hardened expression. He places the gun into the back of his pants as he raises an eyebrow at you.
"I wasn't going to kill you anyway. My partner did a background check on you while you were talking to your two friends. He says hi, Jenny."
I finally take in his features after he puts the gun away. He's nearly the same height as human Kai, and his jet black hair is pulled back into a bun. A blue gray sweater clings to his body, paired with a black jacket. are those blue eyes? oh my FUck hes a rare one omg gotta catch em all amirite or amirite
I wipe my sweaty hands on my ripped pants. "I'm glad everybody knows me more than I do," I mutter, taking in a breath of relief. I wonder if I can see that background check, and if it contains any important information. "So, what's your name? And where the hell am I?"
He leans on the wall next to you, sighing heavily.
"Name's Jean. You're in an office building for ELife."
He pauses, almost as if a realization hit him.
"Hey, speaking of, can you do me a favor?" He walks back to the door you came from and gestures to it.
"Can you tell me if there's anyone on the floor above us? The security cameras are being replaced for it so my partner can't see any live footage from it."
ELife? What is that? What is Jean trying to accomplish.
I hesitate on following his orders, but the gun in his back pocket motivates me to listen anyways. I walk past him and start up the stairs. but pause and turn my head back.
"What exactly are you gonna do with that information?" If this guy is another one of those I-can't-tell-you-anything boys I will literally kill him.
"i can't tell you anything"
"I'm gonna go upstairs without being detected, what do you think?" He snaps, shifting his weight onto one foot. He runs his hand through his hair as he looks down.
"If I tell you, you're going to have to follow through with it and follow me after I do what I need to do. You'll be my accomplice."
He shoots you a sort of grin, but it didn't look genuine.
"How does that sound?"
