11-02-2009, 07:00 PM
Several things ran through Sophia’s mind as she started to fall through the door, most of which were profanities that she would be ashamed to admit to. Things hadn’t changed for her much since she had died, and despite King Kai’s tireless efforts to help transform her into a relentless and polished fighting machine, she was still as clumsy as ever. Of course, she liked to think that it would have happened to anyone—after all, who would have thought that one would have to push on a random door in the ground? It didn’t even have a sign. If she were still living, she would have resolved to sue the makers of that door for every zeni that they had (though, in reality, she just would have felt so bad that she would have given it back).
However, just as quickly as those things went through her mind, the fighting guru caught her by the arm. Sophia had her eyes closed as tightly as possible, of course, so it took her a while to realize that she no longer felt that nagging falling feeling. It was cold where she was hanging; the dirt around her sent a chill down her spine as she realized that such a fall could have really hurt her. She finally remembered to exhale, and though she knew it was stupid to look down, she couldn’t help it. The chill turned into panic as all she saw was darkness, a seemingly endless pit extending down below her.
Sophia let out a high-pitched squeal. “Help me, King Kai! Help me~!”
Kaiousama merely chuckled and grabbed onto her arm with his other hand, stabilizing his grip on her so that he could pull her up. The ex-priestess glanced up at him fearfully, suddenly worried from his cheerful demeanor that he was tempted to just drop her. That’s what he did, after all—he always put her through tests, always put her in danger, and never told her anything about it afterward. Such things were to be expected at that point.
“Don’t you dare drop me…” she muttered as she clutched the side of the tunnel and crawled up onto the surface. As she stood to her feet and began dusting her clothes off, she looked up at him with a frown pasted on her complexion. “Do you have any idea how close that was!?”
“Sophia…” King Kai whispered, holding out a hand to comfort her.
“No! I’m tired of constantly getting hurt or almost hurt! I could have died! Or…well, I don’t know! You’ve never given me a clear answer on that, because you never tell me anything! I have half a mind to…”
“Sophia…” he said again patiently as she continued on her rant.
“…and what about the food!? If I have to eat ramen one more time, I swear I’m going to…”
“Sophia!” he snapped.
“Yes, sir,” she said quickly, putting her arms stiffly to her side.
“Sophia, what’s the problem? You can fly now, can’t you?” he reminded her.
Oh, right, flying. Her face turned red as she realized his point, although she had no idea if she could replicate those same results again. She had never even realized that flying was a possibility, and now he was expecting her to fly perfectly like a sparrow. Nonetheless, she sighed and shook her head, rubbing her eyes. Maybe the training was starting to wear on her nerves a little bit. After all, this was a big change from her normal routine in life—mainly, healing people and reading books in her spare time. Physical exhaustion was not something she was exactly used to.
“I’m…I’m sorry, King Kai,” she bowed. “I don’t know what got over me.”
“Oh, stop that. It’s fine,” the round man smiled. “That’s actually mild compared to some of my former students. You’re practically a teddy bear.”
Sophia chuckled. His joyfulness was starting to grow on her.
“Now come on inside,” King Kai said. “You look like you could use some ramen.”
The pair chuckled and sauntered through the door of his little hut. Maybe a bowl of noodles wasn’t such a bad idea after all. She sat down at his table as Kaiousama ventured into the kitchen to prepare the meal. The healer straightened her skirt a little bit and cleared her throat, looking around the kitchen. She had never really taken the time to look before, but King Kai knew how to clean up a mess. After her fight with Cain, the entire house was broken into pieces, but every such piece seemed to be in perfect order. It even seemed a little homey, though that kind of clashed with the whole fighter routine.
A tap on the window distracted her a bit, but a quick glance revealed nothing in particular. It was probably just something carried by the wind into the glass. She leaned over, trying to get a glimpse at King Kai. “How’s it coming? Do you need help?”
“What was that?” he called back.
She heard another tap on the window. She proceeded to answer Kaiousama as she turned to look back at the window. “Uh…I was just wondering if you needed help.”
“Oh, no. I’m fine, thanks. It’ll be ready in a bit.”
Nothing was there again. Sophia frowned and shook her head—maybe she was more tired than she had realized. Taking a deep breath, she put her hands on the table and rapped on the surface with the tips of her fingers. She thought she heard yet another tap, though she decided that it was probably just her own noise. The healer clicked her tongue and took another casual glance at the window. There floated a gigantic cricket.
Sophia jumped out of her seat and onto the floor, gasping.
“What’s wrong, Sophia!” Kaiousama ran back into the kitchen. He looked down at Sophia and followed her extended index finger towards the window. He laughed. “Oh, it’s Gregory. Hi, Gregory!”
The cricket floated into the kitchen, snickering. Sophia frowned at him, tightening a fist as she stood back up. Noticing this, Gregory waved his hands. “Hey, sorry about that! It was just a little joke.”
King Kai smacked the cricket lightly on the back of his head. “Don’t do that. She’s frayed enough as it is.”
“Ahhh, training’s gettin’ a little rough, is it?” Gregory smirked. “That’s fine. At least he hasn’t asked you to hit me yet.”
“Keep it up and I will,” King Kai muttered. “So…what’s up? I thought you were visiting your sister?”
“I was. It was fun, but I wanted to leave. Her boyfriend’s kind of a creeper,” he scratched his head. “Anyway, I kind of had to leave, since someone told me to give this to your student.”
He pulled out a sealed envelope from seemingly nowhere—how he managed to hide anything on him was beyond Sophia. Kaiousama cocked his head and took the letter. “Damon Dukes, huh? Never heard of him.”
Sophia took the envelope from him and inspected it closely. “How would anyone know I was here, anyway? It doesn’t make sense.”
“Do you know him?” Gregory asked.
“No, I’ve never heard this name before in my life,” the healer responded. “I guess…I better open it.”
Using a fingernail, she slid it along the crease and opened it. Holding it out in front of her, she read it aloud.
“Dear Sophia,” she began. “Your heroic deeds on Friend or Foe may have escaped the notice of some, but not mine. Though you may be dead, I extend to you an invitation to a get-together with several other like-minded individuals. There, you will be compensated for your self-sacrifice. If you wish to participate, please show this invitation and the enclosed chip to one of my attendants, who will be waiting for you at the mouth of Snake Way. Please, do not worry yourself with the finer details of your delicate situation—just know that it has all been worked out. Sincerely, Damon Dukes.”
“Seems suspicious,” was all King Kai had to say initially.
“It also seems like something you would know,” Sophia poked him in the arm. “Have you been holding out on me?”
“Hahaha, you know I can’t keep a straight face!” he burst into laughter. “Yes, it has already been worked out. Damon Dukes seems like a nice individual. I’m sure the attendant will fill you in a bit more.”
“Can you give me a lift?” Sophia asked.
“No, I expect you to walk,” he said. “…just kidding!”
In a blink of an eye, she was at the foot of Snake Way. It kind of gave her the creeps just being there, as all the memories of her hellish experience on that road came flooding back. Turning around, she spotted a man in a suit standing at the gate, looking at his watch. She walked up and nodded to the man.
“Good afternoon, Miss Rosado,” the man cordially greeted her. “I’m assuming you’re here to accept?”
“Yes, sir,” Sophia bowed. “I have my invitation and chip right here.”
“Now, I’m obliged to tell you that you’ve been granted access to the living realm for the entire duration of this event. After that, you are to return immediately. Is that understood?”
Sophia nodded again.
“Very good,” he said. “Follow me.”
*
The man led her through a large teleporter. It wasn’t until it closed behind her that Sophia wished she had thought this through a bit more.
However, just as quickly as those things went through her mind, the fighting guru caught her by the arm. Sophia had her eyes closed as tightly as possible, of course, so it took her a while to realize that she no longer felt that nagging falling feeling. It was cold where she was hanging; the dirt around her sent a chill down her spine as she realized that such a fall could have really hurt her. She finally remembered to exhale, and though she knew it was stupid to look down, she couldn’t help it. The chill turned into panic as all she saw was darkness, a seemingly endless pit extending down below her.
Sophia let out a high-pitched squeal. “Help me, King Kai! Help me~!”
Kaiousama merely chuckled and grabbed onto her arm with his other hand, stabilizing his grip on her so that he could pull her up. The ex-priestess glanced up at him fearfully, suddenly worried from his cheerful demeanor that he was tempted to just drop her. That’s what he did, after all—he always put her through tests, always put her in danger, and never told her anything about it afterward. Such things were to be expected at that point.
“Don’t you dare drop me…” she muttered as she clutched the side of the tunnel and crawled up onto the surface. As she stood to her feet and began dusting her clothes off, she looked up at him with a frown pasted on her complexion. “Do you have any idea how close that was!?”
“Sophia…” King Kai whispered, holding out a hand to comfort her.
“No! I’m tired of constantly getting hurt or almost hurt! I could have died! Or…well, I don’t know! You’ve never given me a clear answer on that, because you never tell me anything! I have half a mind to…”
“Sophia…” he said again patiently as she continued on her rant.
“…and what about the food!? If I have to eat ramen one more time, I swear I’m going to…”
“Sophia!” he snapped.
“Yes, sir,” she said quickly, putting her arms stiffly to her side.
“Sophia, what’s the problem? You can fly now, can’t you?” he reminded her.
Oh, right, flying. Her face turned red as she realized his point, although she had no idea if she could replicate those same results again. She had never even realized that flying was a possibility, and now he was expecting her to fly perfectly like a sparrow. Nonetheless, she sighed and shook her head, rubbing her eyes. Maybe the training was starting to wear on her nerves a little bit. After all, this was a big change from her normal routine in life—mainly, healing people and reading books in her spare time. Physical exhaustion was not something she was exactly used to.
“I’m…I’m sorry, King Kai,” she bowed. “I don’t know what got over me.”
“Oh, stop that. It’s fine,” the round man smiled. “That’s actually mild compared to some of my former students. You’re practically a teddy bear.”
Sophia chuckled. His joyfulness was starting to grow on her.
“Now come on inside,” King Kai said. “You look like you could use some ramen.”
The pair chuckled and sauntered through the door of his little hut. Maybe a bowl of noodles wasn’t such a bad idea after all. She sat down at his table as Kaiousama ventured into the kitchen to prepare the meal. The healer straightened her skirt a little bit and cleared her throat, looking around the kitchen. She had never really taken the time to look before, but King Kai knew how to clean up a mess. After her fight with Cain, the entire house was broken into pieces, but every such piece seemed to be in perfect order. It even seemed a little homey, though that kind of clashed with the whole fighter routine.
A tap on the window distracted her a bit, but a quick glance revealed nothing in particular. It was probably just something carried by the wind into the glass. She leaned over, trying to get a glimpse at King Kai. “How’s it coming? Do you need help?”
“What was that?” he called back.
She heard another tap on the window. She proceeded to answer Kaiousama as she turned to look back at the window. “Uh…I was just wondering if you needed help.”
“Oh, no. I’m fine, thanks. It’ll be ready in a bit.”
Nothing was there again. Sophia frowned and shook her head—maybe she was more tired than she had realized. Taking a deep breath, she put her hands on the table and rapped on the surface with the tips of her fingers. She thought she heard yet another tap, though she decided that it was probably just her own noise. The healer clicked her tongue and took another casual glance at the window. There floated a gigantic cricket.
Sophia jumped out of her seat and onto the floor, gasping.
“What’s wrong, Sophia!” Kaiousama ran back into the kitchen. He looked down at Sophia and followed her extended index finger towards the window. He laughed. “Oh, it’s Gregory. Hi, Gregory!”
The cricket floated into the kitchen, snickering. Sophia frowned at him, tightening a fist as she stood back up. Noticing this, Gregory waved his hands. “Hey, sorry about that! It was just a little joke.”
King Kai smacked the cricket lightly on the back of his head. “Don’t do that. She’s frayed enough as it is.”
“Ahhh, training’s gettin’ a little rough, is it?” Gregory smirked. “That’s fine. At least he hasn’t asked you to hit me yet.”
“Keep it up and I will,” King Kai muttered. “So…what’s up? I thought you were visiting your sister?”
“I was. It was fun, but I wanted to leave. Her boyfriend’s kind of a creeper,” he scratched his head. “Anyway, I kind of had to leave, since someone told me to give this to your student.”
He pulled out a sealed envelope from seemingly nowhere—how he managed to hide anything on him was beyond Sophia. Kaiousama cocked his head and took the letter. “Damon Dukes, huh? Never heard of him.”
Sophia took the envelope from him and inspected it closely. “How would anyone know I was here, anyway? It doesn’t make sense.”
“Do you know him?” Gregory asked.
“No, I’ve never heard this name before in my life,” the healer responded. “I guess…I better open it.”
Using a fingernail, she slid it along the crease and opened it. Holding it out in front of her, she read it aloud.
“Dear Sophia,” she began. “Your heroic deeds on Friend or Foe may have escaped the notice of some, but not mine. Though you may be dead, I extend to you an invitation to a get-together with several other like-minded individuals. There, you will be compensated for your self-sacrifice. If you wish to participate, please show this invitation and the enclosed chip to one of my attendants, who will be waiting for you at the mouth of Snake Way. Please, do not worry yourself with the finer details of your delicate situation—just know that it has all been worked out. Sincerely, Damon Dukes.”
“Seems suspicious,” was all King Kai had to say initially.
“It also seems like something you would know,” Sophia poked him in the arm. “Have you been holding out on me?”
“Hahaha, you know I can’t keep a straight face!” he burst into laughter. “Yes, it has already been worked out. Damon Dukes seems like a nice individual. I’m sure the attendant will fill you in a bit more.”
“Can you give me a lift?” Sophia asked.
“No, I expect you to walk,” he said. “…just kidding!”
In a blink of an eye, she was at the foot of Snake Way. It kind of gave her the creeps just being there, as all the memories of her hellish experience on that road came flooding back. Turning around, she spotted a man in a suit standing at the gate, looking at his watch. She walked up and nodded to the man.
“Good afternoon, Miss Rosado,” the man cordially greeted her. “I’m assuming you’re here to accept?”
“Yes, sir,” Sophia bowed. “I have my invitation and chip right here.”
“Now, I’m obliged to tell you that you’ve been granted access to the living realm for the entire duration of this event. After that, you are to return immediately. Is that understood?”
Sophia nodded again.
“Very good,” he said. “Follow me.”
*
The man led her through a large teleporter. It wasn’t until it closed behind her that Sophia wished she had thought this through a bit more.