Nope.

That's it.

I've had enough and I'm calling bullshit right now.

"If you're Abi, then why are you only just showing yourself now?"

For some reason, probably the recent train events, I really want to unsheath my sword. Just as a precaution. The problem with that idea though, is Ali, who is right beside me, seems to outclass me in every single aspect.

How can such a beauty like that give off such a dominating presence like one I'm feeling right now?

I'm only just starting to understand power, magic and levels, but I can clearly tell she could kill me the moment I went to draw my blade, if she chose too.

"Well, before you killed Obling, I was sealed away inside my core. After he died, I admit, I was a little hesitant to approach you. I knew what you enjoyed though because Obling used my core to make the luxious items for you. Once we had communicated long enough through letters, I sent Ali here to talk with you. I also may have panicked a little when you talked about leaving and ported you to my core room instead."

What?

Why would she do that?

Panic?

Really!?

No, she's clever, right? She's a dungeon with at least 26 floors. Not that I have any other sources to judge her by, but that must mean she's strong enough to survive, or at least be capable of getting by.

Maybe she's testing me and this isn't the real core room? I wouldn't attack her anyway so that doesn't matter.

No. Now that I think about it, if she got tricked by a goblin as stupid as Obling, then she can't be all that bright can she?

Did she actually panic and bring me this room with no ulterior motives?

Is she stupid?

"Abi?"

"Yes, Erin?"

I let out out a long drawn sigh.

At least I've answered one question today, I now know where Ali gets her beauty from.

Taking a longer inspection of Abi than I really should, I can't help but notice that her and her protector look so alike. Only slight differences separate them as even their hair and eye colour are the same emerald green.

Abi's eyes sparkle like the dungeon core behind her and her hair hangs over her shoulder, braided up in a dark green bow. She's wearing a long sleeved black shirt with decorative embroidery on the cuffs and collar in soft green. A black skirt in the same fashion and knee-high boots.

"Why do you look like a human and why does Ali look like one too?"

She smiles innocently at me.

"Because I use to be one."

Before dropping a major bomb in my lap.

"How were you a human? And why are you now a dungeon core?"

The list of crazy shit keeps expanding in this fucked up dungeon.

The Dungeon master shakes her finger at me.

"Ah, ah, ah. You don't get to ask all the questions."

Figures.

Anyway, let's see where this goes.

"Ok. I suppose that's fair enough. Remember though, I told you I don't remember much about my past. I'm still on the fence over some of the details too."

Her eyes gleam in delight. My past life obviously being at the top of her interest pile.

"That's my first question actually. How come you don't remember anything? Is it because something of major significance happened?"

I furrow my brow at the oddly worded question from the woman/dungeon.

"Why do you ask like that?"

Thinking I can get a sly question in unnoticed, Abi shoots me down with a rhetorical one of her own.

"You can't answer a question with a question, can you?"

Damn. Why do I feel like Temi just got one over on me when she wasn't even part of the conversation. Reluctant to tell anyone my situation, but happy for the conversation with another, I explain the hazy circumstances leading my arrival on Tironia.

"No way!" Her eyes shine in amazement. "So you're from another world, but you only have memories that relate to the situation you're in? That sounds crazy, Erin. Not Me crazy, but you crazy."

I think Abi might actually be crazy. Especially after hearing the word so many times.

Anyway, it's my turn.

"How did you become a dungeon core?"

This time Abi furrows her brow... Which is adorable, oh my gods. It as though she's visiting a painful memory.

"I knew that you were going to ask that, but it's quite a sour story. Can I just say I died because of some bastard and then because of some stupid God, here I am?"

Hmmm.

"Was it the God's fault you became a dungeon?"

She nods in confirmation.

"Then, yes. Your explanation's fine. Your turn."

She pauses for a moment before her eyes open wide and she begins speaking too fast for me to understand. Once she finishes I explain to her that I didn't understand before she repeats it for me albeit slower this time.

"When I was stuck in my core I was watching you, you did some silly things but then I saw you make something with your magic, the same way you created me in the image you made, it was beautiful so would you please cast it again?

When she finishes, this time, she bows her head low and keeps it there whilst waiting for my answer. Ali, however, is not bowing, she is glaring at me as though I am something rotten. How dare I make her master bow, just wait till no one is watching and we're alone together, is what her look is saying to me.

Shit.

I turn my attention back to Abi and I rack my brain to see if I can remember what she's describing to me.

......

Ali's stare is intensifying and I swear a beautifully large vein is about to pop on her forehead. Feeling too overwhelmed by whatever pressure Ali is throwing ay me, I fall back on my best friend in the world.

"Temi?"

"Temi?" They both repeat in unison.

'She means the Angelic Fountain Of Everlasting Water.'

"Urgh, I hate that name and why does everyone like the fountain?"

"Fountain?"

Abi is practically leaps, although she's still floating, on top of me and I have to lean back to avoid a danger area.

"So that's what it was? It was beautiful and worldly and amazing and I just love it, please can I have one?"

"I don't know? I'm only just learning magic remember but I don't think I can give you the fountain, it disappears after a while because it's made from magic."

"Don't worry about that, it should disappear faster than you think this time, hehehe."

Feeling a little weirded out by her last sentence and evil laugh, I begin to create the angelic fountain that everyone seems to head over heels in love with. Seriously it's just a fountain, they don't do anything special, you get water in them and that's about it! I know this is my money-making plan but I'm still in a little disbelief after this shocking event, once again.

The fountain raises from within the floor of the room with ease, even though there's a well-paved brick stone floor beneath us, magic is the crazy one Abi.

'Yes!'

Once again, Temi loves it.

Why though, what's so special about it? It looks really cool and I'm impressed, I know it's better than my original design, but the concept was mine at least.

Other than Temi bout of enthusiasm, both the other girls, monsters, dungeon core and monster? Whatever, I'm calling them girls and both of them haven't uttered a sound or moved a muscle. Abi's eyes have grown to the size of a cartoon characters and yet they're still alluring, somehow.

Abi is the first to break pose and begins to look like she is shitting herself? Literally!

She's stock still, in mid-air, looking as though she is really pushing some head out.

What the fuck!?

"What are doing?"

"Trying... to... absorb it."

She strains.

"It looks like your going to push one out, nevermind get one in."

Abi stopped for a moment to think about what I said, but for some reason Ali understood perfectly and had decided that I needed a rest to think about what I say in front of her master. Apparently it took one swift kick to knock me out, or so I am told by Temi upon waking. Once more I find myself in the familiar warmth of a duvet and a mattress. However this time I find myself wondering wether I should of kept my mouth shut. Maybe, it's Temi's influence rubbing off on me, maybe.

She did really look like she was gonna though, I had to say something, right?

It would of been weird if I just stood there watching her with that cute little red face.

Nevermind, I suppose now what I'm going to say is sorry.

"Abi, I'm sorry if I offended you?"

I feel the change of magic in the air and the goblin village fades away again placing me back in Abi's core room.

Luckily Ali is nowhere in sight, she's definitely a man killer, no doubt about that fact. In her place though is a treasure chest, it doesn't look as fancy as the other one's though, I wonder if it's for me? I lose that train of thought because it opens it lid and a tongue flops out drooling over the floor. He immediately grows legs from beneath himself and comically runs off somewhere else in the core room. All I can do is smile and confirm to myself that I knew I should of been wary of those chests earlier on, but before I get a chance to comment on any events, past or hilariously present one's, Abi beats me to it.

"I'm sorry Erin."

"Why are you apologising , I was a little inappropriate before, I shouldn't really talk like that around ladies, I'm sorry."

'What about me?'

Temi instantly pipes up, but I don't understand what she means.

"What about you?"

"Me?" Abi looks confused because she then follows this with. "No, not you."

Now I feel confused watching Abi ask, and answer, her own question.

"Er... No, not you, I was talking to Temi."

'Am I not a lady?'

"Well, it's... You know w... Yes! Yes you are a lady, Temi. But, your also like my best friend too, so it's different."

"Awww that's lovely Erin."

Abi looks like she's about to drop dungeon tears.

'I suppose that analogy seems sufficient. No need to dwell on it any further.'

What? That's all I get after I was being so nice, there was even someone else physically listening to me and commenting on my mushy lines. She can't even hear you Temi, would it kill you to reciprocate the appreciation once in a while.

How does she always manage to rattle my nerves.

Luckily Abi breaks the tension for me.

"Erin, seeing how you want to leave the dungeon, but say you will return, I have a proposition for you. You see, I am plagued by being in the middle of nowhere, and I am also surrounded by three other dungeons. By surrounded, I mean that they inhabit the same land as I do, we're not actually engaged in combat or anything like that. It's the opposite in fact, we don't even speak to one another, however I really want to grow bigger. I have my own goals Erin, just as you do and I thought that if you don't want to kill my monster's, then why not kill theirs?"

That's not a bad proposition. It keeps me close to a stable food source and a comfy bed if I ever want to rest here for a while. Plus, I really need to work on how I talk to people, especially Temi, I suppose I don't always say the right thing at the right time.

"How would I find these other dungeons if I were to say yes?"

"That's the best part, I have entrances to each of them within my dungeon, so you don't even have to leave."

That stalker vibe is coming back full throttle. I don't really have a good reason to say no though.