《Changing Oneself》Chapter 6 – Back Again
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In this small room, there are 4 people with various age and gender cramped together. One of them is a youth named Sol, right now he is standing anxiously, his head swirled right and left, looking at the cat eared old man and me. The second one is a young woman, her face displayed an unconcerned look, but her eyes betrayed her face and keep focused on me. The third one is the cat eared old man, an old scar starting from his eyebrow, crossing his closed right eyelid, to his cheek. His appearance was like a seasoned warrior, but he had this gentle aura around him. The last one is me, who just realized five minutes ago that I’m not a human anymore, sitting comfortably on the bed.
The smiling old man walked toward myself until we are face to face. Just when I though I was going to interrogated or something related, he raised both of his arm and put his palm on my now animal ears. He pulled, caressed, he checked and stared at my eyes too. Then he put his right palm over my chest, a strange feeling overcame me. How should I describe it…. It’s a bit ticklish.
The strange feeling only lasted for a few seconds, before the old man retracted his arm. He stroked his beard, I can feel that he… impressed? The old man took out a necklace. A red gem bound by silver chain, the gem had a beautiful deep red color with a bit of brilliant golden color inside it. He raised his arm with the necklace at his palm to my direction. He nudged his palm to my chest.
Is he.. giving me the necklace?
I warily grabbed the necklace. The old man nodded satisfied and walk back to Sol and the other person. They talked a bit, the woman had this bright and excited expression on her and Sol keep bowing to the old man. The old man just smiled and patted Sol back. Then as quick as he came, the old man left the room just like that.
The room is silent for a moment. Then the woman turned to me, as if founded her new toy, she excitedly walked toward me, with Sol follow at behind her, a.. face full of pity.
I had a bad feeling about this…
Its turned out the woman name is Mira. And right now feast with all kind of varieties displayed on the table. The smell really is appetizing. I raised my head to see the brother sister combo in front of me. Sol is making a wry expression directed at Mira. The current culprit tried to spoon fed me with a blissful smile, even though I can move my hand just fine. I shook my head and grabbed my own wooden spoon. I scooped the stew with unidentified orange meat and strange shaped vegetables near me. Mira dejected, but didn’t press me more.
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Well the smell is fine… how about the taste..
I sniffed and decided to take a bite, putting the unidentified stew in my mouth. I widened my eyes. The taste is unexpectedly heavenly, more delicious than anything I had eaten before. The meat is juicy and tender, a bit like beef, and the vegetable had this exotic taste that suit the meat quite well. I don’t think I will get tired of this taste.
Sol seem happy with me eating the stew. When I scooped my second spoon, they started eating too, enjoying the meals. My mind take me to the past, after the old man leave the house, Sol made a bunch of gestures to me, I interpret some of it as ‘eat’ and ‘sleep’, I cant make sense nor understand the rest, but I can guess..
Are they telling me to stay at here? Aren’t these people are a bit too friendly to someone they just met?
A bit mystified by this whole situation, but I still accepted their hospitality. I will decided what I will do later, for now, lets just move with the flow. I’m alone in this strange land after all, any help would be appreciated. After finished the tasty meal, Mira cleaned up the table and I tried to help her, but got refused instead. She shook her head and smiled, pointing her index finger at Sol. She looked at her brother and said something to him, which Sol returned with a nod. Honestly, not being able to understand what they are saying are really inconvenient, I need to fix this sooner or later.
Sol walked up to me, grabbed my right hand, and led me to the outside. Being led by hand like a kid, moreover by someone younger than me to boot, really does some damage to me, mentally I mean, and I don’t like being touched by someone. I gently shook his hand off. Sol looked down to me and raises his eyebrows. I just nodded and walked ahead to the door. I stood still at the door, waiting for him, he just scratched his head, and decided to respect my wishes. He opened the door and what greet me is a fantastical scenery that I wouldn’t seen at earth.
The wooden hut is the only house located on top of the hill. Fresh air flowing to my face, I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. Behind us, there lays a giant forest, I presumed is the forest that I roamed before. Just right in front of the forest, I saw floating stones, encircling the forest. Looking at something that defied psychic, I didn’t even bat an eye, I don’t think I could be surprised anymore. After all, there all three suns, how this planet can still maintaining life with three of them scorching this place isn’t something that I want to think about it. I already give up thinking too complicated, my sense and knowledge don’t apply in this land.
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I looked down from the small hill. I could see part of the town, bustling with activity down there. Sol walked past me and climbed down from the hill. I followed him. Our direction made me sure that our destination is the town.
After a worth while of walking, we finally arrived at the town. The town is cramped with all kind of entertainment and food stands, the people walking back and fort too, had all kind of body traits that made me curious. A green haired woman with long sharp ears, a kid with dog ears and wagging tail, a short and stubby man with messy beard, a humanoid person with a curving horn protruded from his forehead. This feel like I’m in a game, with all this fantasy race popped out in front of me, but the incident with the blue wolf made sure this is reality.
I walked beside Sol, looking my surrounding with great interest. This town appearance is like those of medieval fantasy, house built using wood or stone. I can felt a lot of pedestrian stared at me, but I ignored it. A grilled meat skewer stand selling his food to a dog eared woman and her child. She gave him 2 single brown coin and exchanged with 2 skewer.
So that’s the currency…
Maybe I stared a bit to much, Sol looked at me, and walked to the stand, bought three skewers, and handed two for me. How kind of him.
I thanked him even though our language differenced. Sol just smiled and nodded, patted my head. Its seems like I had been treated like a child again, even though I’m older than him.
Still, this feel nice… Wait, what am I thinking?
While a conflict had formed in my heart, Sol stopped patted my head, and decided to continue our journey while eating a skewer at his hands. A sigh of relief came out from mouth, released from the child treatment, I ignored the slight disappointed bubbled within my heart.
After I finished gobbled all the skewer, Sol stopped walking and stared at a certain building. We had walked quite far away from the crowded road, this building is quite isolated, only a few people walking at the street. My ears twitched, I can heard a lot noises coming from the inside of the building. I looked up at Sol, wondering what business that he had in this building. He unexpectedly sighed, and walked toward the largest building in this area.
He opened the door and I peeked inside. Scarce with decoration, there are only a long table, two chair, a lamp, and a strict looking elf, sitting and writing something at a paper. Large shelf behind her, filled to brim with books. This place feels like a receptionist area.
The elf raised his head, he squinted his eyes, scrutiny us closely. Sol walked toward the elf, they talked for some time, and in the mean time I had nothing to do, I’m just roaming around the room, observed anything that caught my eyes. I found another door, just in the corner of the room. Bored and curiosity overwhelm my mind, I decided to take a look what lay behind the door. Just when I raised my arm to the doorknob, I can hear footstep behind the door thanks to my animal ears, I immediately move backward, but its seems I’m a bit late, the door slammed open with a bang before I fully moved to safety. The door hit my nose. Ouch.
I raised both of my hand to my face, massaging my bruised nose, I stared at the perpetrator, blue twin tails greeted me, the girl had this haughty expression on her, she slightly taller than me, and she is human, I think. My knowledge with the race existed in this land is too little to made proper judgement. Maybe she an imp or devil for all I know.
She didn’t even look at me, I think my existent didn’t even register to her mind. She walked to the outside, ignored all the people in this room, the door lead to the outside slammed shut. I saw the elf is massaging his temple, tired by the incident take place a moment ago.
The elf left his table and chair and walked toward myself. He gave me a glance and patted my head. A yellow light came out from his hand and I can felt my nose doesn’t hurt anymore. Magic sure is awesome.
The elf finished his healing, he said something to Sol, and made his ways deeper into the building. The unclosed door before closed. Leaving us alone in this room. Sol patted my head, why everyone like to do that?
Its seems his business in here is over. We left the building, what await us in the outside is the twin tailed girl before, she leaning toward a big tree, her gaze cast downward. She gave us a brief glance, before walked away. What a strange kid.
We walked again, this time our destination seems to be back at that wooden hut. Ten minutes worth of walking, I saw a group of people in front of us, they talk to each other, smiling and playing, before they noticed us. I can heard Sol beside me clicked in annoyance. They stopped walking, an orange haired youth walked slightly ahead from the group, he squinted his eyes and his mouth twisted into a snarl.
Really, trouble followed me everywhere.
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