Disclair: I own nothing, this is purely a fanfic for enjoynt.
Cross-over from various gas, books, ani, manga, and movies.
The familiar characters you see here belong to their respected authors and owners.
"Speech"
Arc 6: Drama In Life - 6
"Fishing? On a cloud?" Elizabeth's voice carries a curious lilt, almost amused but not quite surprised. She settles beside , her gaze more analytical than affectionate as she watches Shirahoshi giggle and bounce. "I suppose reality really doesn't an much anymore, does it?"
"Because the River of Ti says so, and no, it doesn't, not for us." I replied dully, not even looking up. The River of Ti had activated on its own, just like Perfect Timing used to, but this ti, it flowed with far more precision. Ever since it absorbed the Nen ability, its performance has been leagues ahead.
Unlike Perfect Timing, which only warned at the last second, the River of Ti shows multiple chain reactions across countless branches of potential futures, each one mapped with eerie clarity. It doesn't just whisper at the mont of crisis anymore—it leaves checkpoints, signposts, echoes of what's to co. And it always speaks before the storm. In addition, let see further results upon taking said actions to those branches of potential futures.
Elizabeth tilts her head, an exaggerated sigh slipping past her lips as she gives a flat look. "You realize none of that actually explains anything, right?" A flicker of exasperation crosses her face, barely masking the conspiracy underneath. "You've been talking in riddles for an hour. I'm starting to think you do it on purpose."
"Point taken. One second."
I tug on the fishing rod, one of the more curious items I'd pulled from the Infinite Treasure Chest. It jolts in my hands—definitely not a fish. A startled yelp rings out, and with a final pull, soone—not sothing—pops out of the cloud like a hooked spirit.
They land softly on the cloud's surface, eyes wide in confusion.
"Well, hello there, Paimon." I say, a small smile tugging at the corner of my lips. But I suppress it right away before it could affect Paimon and everyone else around .
Paimon's petite figure almost makes her look like a fairy. She has thick, snowy-white hair that ends just above her shoulders, and dark violet eyes that shimr with indignant confusion. Her skin is pale and smooth, catching the soft light of the dreamlike sky.
She's dressed in a long-sleeved white jumper, adorned with rose-gold embroidery and delicate cuffs. A deep night-blue cape, speckled with stardust, drapes over her shoulders. Her white stockings and boots shimr faintly, trimd with the sa rose-gold as her sleeves. A golden triquetra rests on the front of her jumper, subtly pulsing with arcane energy.
A levitating rose-gold tiara hovers above her head like a halo, while a star-shaped dark blue hairpin keeps a strand of her hair in place. As she moves, tiny constellations trail behind her—an ethereal signature, like the sky itself is acknowledging her presence.
"Wha—What just happened?! Paimon has no idea what's going on! Everything was normal a second ago, and now it's all weird and confusing! This is totally not okay!" Paimon exclaims, looking around in disbelief.
"Cloudfishing." I say simply.
Elizabeth exhales slowly, the sound more thoughtful than tired. She doesn't say a word—just looks at , eyes distant, as if she's already a few steps ahead in a conversation I haven't caught up to yet. Then, barely above a whisper. "...Right. Of course you'd say that." She closes her eyes for a mont, like she's letting the silence do the talking instead.
"Hello! I-I'm Shirahoshi." Shirahoshi said shyly, floating over with a soft giggle. Her long pink hair gently swayed with the currents and her eyes sparkled with kindness. "It's so nice to et you! I-I hope we can be friends!"
"Super-Sized Sparklefish!" Paimon pointed a finger at Shirahoshi like she was unveiling a legendary treasure. Then she swiveled dramatically to face . "Creepy Face." Her eyes narrowed in mock suspicion. And with a final twirl, she aid a finger at Elizabeth. "Peek-a-Boo Girl!" Hovering mid-air, she puffed out her cheeks, hands on her hips with maximum sass. "Ta-da~! Greetings, weirdos! Paimon's here! Super adorable, super helpful, and absolutely NOT for snacking!"
Elizabeth blinked once, then again—eyes narrowing, calculation flickering behind them like shifting stars. "Right..." she said slowly, each syllable laced with suspicion and quiet awe. She lifted her hand and pointed at Paimon, her gaze never leaving mine. "So you knew, didn't you? You knew you were going to reel her in."
Her voice wasn't accusatory—just curious. Intensely, dangerously curious. The kind that ant she was already rewriting the rules in her head.
"Creepy Face definitely knew Paimon was in trouble!" Paimon huffed, floating over with exaggerated flair. With a proud little nod, she tapped my shoulder like she was bestowing the highest honor a floating mascot could give, like rewarding a very good pet. "Oh! Oh! And guess what? Paimon was told she's supposed to be your guide!" She announced proudly, puffing out her cheeks as she bead, face glowing like the sun itself. "So you better be grateful! You're basically traveling with the best of the best!"
"Letter." I said simply, stretching my hand out toward Paimon.
"Oh! Right, right!" Paimon squeaked, spinning midair like a sparkly top. She reached behind her with a tiny grunt of effort and pulled out a letter way too big for her little hands. It glead faintly. She held it out to with both hands, grinning like she'd just saved the world itself. "Ta-daa! Special delivery! Courtesy of the one and only Paimon—super fast, totally flawless, and never loses your stuff!"
I took it without a word, already sensing the aura of significance emanating from the envelope.
I opened the letter carefully, the wax seal dissolving on its own as if recognizing . Unfolding the paper, I began to read aloud:
"Greetings, Sho Jin. I hope you're doing fine and not having much trouble with your new wards. In addition, I feel that you still need so help in your duty as The Caretaker and The Ho of the Eldritch pantheon, which is why I have kidnapped Paimon and made her your helper."
I reached the end and flipped the letter over, checking the back.
Nothing. Not even a symbol. Just empty parchnt.
"It's not signed." I muttered. "But I have a slight idea who wrote this."
"Isn't kidnapping... wrong?" Shirahoshi asked, her brow furrowed in concern. Her large eyes were filled with worry as she looked at , her voice soft and trembling with empathy. "I-I don't understand how soone could hurt others like that. People should be kind to each other, not take them away..."
"It is." Elizabeth said flatly, folding her arms with a quiet disappointnt. Her brows knit together, the faintest flicker of disapproval settling in her expression as she glanced between and Paimon.
...Well, shit.
I forgot these two aren't like the others I've taken care of in the past.
"It's fine! Paimon's totally fine with it!" Paimon puffed out her chest, placing her hands on her hips with all the dramatic flair she could muster, completely ignoring any "kidnapping" nonsense. "Paimon has received a GREAT paynt for volunteering to beco Creepy Face's helper!" She announced proudly, grinning like she'd just struck the best deal of her life.
The letter in my hands glowed, then dissolved into glowing particles before slipping through the cloudy ground, leaving nothing behind.
Elizabeth raised an eyebrow, curiosity getting the better of her. "And what would that be?"
"Paimon was promised! PROMISED, mind you!" Paimon squealed, practically vibrating with joy. Her tiny hands clapped together as she hovered midair. "Soone said whenever Paimon feels like it, the most amazing sweet AND at food will be ALL for Paimon!" She bead, her eyes sparkling as she listed off her dream feast. "Cakes! Roasted duck! Fruit parfaits! And that lt-in-your-mouth thing, Paimon can't rember the na of but it's sooooo good!" Her voice was a mixture of pure sugar and excitent as she spun midair like a ballerina on a sugar rush. She paused, her face gleaming with pride. "Totally worth being kidnapped!"
Shirahoshi still looked a little unsure, her tail swishing gently behind her as if weighing Paimon's logic.
Elizabeth looks very confused and unsure of what to say.
"Anyway, how long are you planning on sticking around?" I asked, though I already knew the answer—or answers—thanks to the River of Ti. But I had to ask to open up those possible futures.
Paimon tilted her head innocently, flashing a bright, almost playful smile. "So... when are you planning on giving up on life and just stopping existing?" She asked, completely casual, as if inquiring about the weather, like she hadn't just delivered a question that could have been straight out of an existential nightmare.
I blinked, not quite sure how to respond to that, but I threw out the obvious. "So, you're planning to stick around forever, huh?"
Without waiting for an answer, I casually tossed the fishing rod back into the Infinite Treasure Chest behind . The chest dissolved into thin air, returning to my mindscape where it, along with other godlike items, waited for my summons.
Paimon gave a look that could only be described as mildly amused.
"Um, Jin-sama." Shirahoshi spoke up, her voice soft and sweet, as she gently pointed behind us. "Shouldn't we go greet the locals?" Her wide, innocent eyes sparkled with curiosity, focusing on the cloud-like people who were happily floating around, going about their business as though nothing was out of the ordinary. "They look so... interesting! I wonder if they're friendly!"
The excitent in her voice was noticeable, but there was a softness to it, a slight hesitation as if she wasn't sure how to approach them. It was adorable in a way.
"It's fine. If anything, I think they're too busy doing their own things to care about us at the mont." I replied, glancing at the cloud-like locals who drifted lazily, oblivious to our presence.
Elizabeth's eyes lit up, a spark of excitent igniting within them. There was sothing in her gaze—an eagerness, a yearning for movent and change—that hinted at a restlessness that had been building for a while. She leaned forward slightly, the hint of a smile tugging at the corners of her lips.
"If that's the case..." Elizabeth mused, her voice light but with a touch of hope. "Why not just... explore? Visit other kingdoms? See what else is out there?" The idea seed to lift her spirits even higher, as if the promise of new horizons was a temptation she couldn't resist. She practically glowed with the possibility. "I vote the second option, hands down."
Paimon, overhearing the suggestion, did a spin in midair, her tiny fra swirling with uncontainable energy. "Oh! Paimon really wants to visit the local restaurant!" She cheered, her voice bubbling with pure excitent. "Paimon's so ready for so delicious food! You better be prepared for a feast, because Paimon's appetite is UNSTOPPABLE!" She floated a little higher, arms raised in a dramatic gesture, clearly anticipating an all-you-can-eat adventure.
"I am a bit hungry, now that I think about it." Shirahoshi said, her cheeks flushing slightly as she rubbed her stomach, a soft giggle escaping her lips. "I-I wonder if there's anything delicious around here... I hope it's sothing sweet!"
Paimon bead at her, nodding enthusiastically. "Yes, yes! Sweet is so good!" Her voice practically sparkled with excitent. "Paimon knew Super-Sized Sparklefish would understand Paimon the most!"
Shirahoshi blushed a little harder at the nickna, but Paimon was already floating around in a circle, completely lost in her joy.
"See? Paimon's got great taste! And now, Paimon's totally ready for the sweetest treats ever!"
Her grin was so wide it practically threatened to engulf her face, and her energy was infectious.
Damn, did Boss decided I need to experience taking care of a group of hyperactive cheerful girls or sothing?
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