We left the office building to a cloudless afternoon sky. By the ti the whole commotion was over and done with, both our stomachs were loud and growling.
So what did we do to resolve it?
Head to a restaurant? Grab a quick snack at a store? Ice-cream, maybe?
Nah, we headed ho.
I flopped my wallet onto my living room table, sprawling it open for the whole world to see.
"No money!" I proclaid, flinging my hands to the air.
Ash was crouched, her knees to the floor, and picked up my wallet by the very ends of her fingertips as if holding up so kind of weird bug.
"Intriguing coin pouch, master," she said, glancing at it from all angles. "But what does that an for lunch?"
I looked at her and her big, bright questioning eyes as large as saucers, and felt guilt surge through .
She got shot in the forehead for and I couldn't even get her any lunch for it. What kind of sorry excuse of a human being am I?
"Well, uh - I'll call a friend," I whipped out my phone. "Borrow so cash, then we'll get so -"
But before I could dial any number, Ash had seized the phone from my grip with a swipe so fast, I didn't even realize she took it until I stupidly started trying to dial the air.
"Master, let us not act upon impulse, shall we?" Ash said, keeping my phone at a distance. "Lest we forget what has brought you trouble in the first place."
Realization hit like an oncoming freight train and imdiately I wanted to throw myself out the window for even coming up with the idea. No more borrowing money.
"My bad," I muttered, smiling apologetically. "I just wanted to show my gratitude to you in so way. You know… get you sothing nice."
Ash expelled a small sigh. "You already have, master."
"Have I?"
"You clothed , fed , and provided refuge. What is all of that if not 'nice', I ask?"
"But that's kind of a given," I answered back. "I would have done the sa to anybody else. It didn't have to be you."
She shook her head. "It needn't matter. Kindness, where I'm from, you'll find very little of it, if any at all. In the eyes of many, most may say I don't even deserve such luxuries."
"That's horrible."
"And yet, that is simply just the very nature of my world."
Speaking of worlds, I realized I still had no idea where on earth she ca from. What kind of fantasy world was it? What kind of creatures inhabited it? Who are the dominant species, and what's the situation like over there?
Put it simply…
"Just where exactly are you from anyway?"
"Well, it's a land far removed from your own… Asteria, we call it," She waved her hand. "Alas, it needn't matter. Let's leave it as a topic of little concern, shall we?"
"But why? Don't you want to go back?"
Blankly staring, Ash fell into a strange sort of silence. Usually, she'd be quick with a reply ready to go. Not this ti.
She smiled again, it looked forced, and handed the phone back in my hands.
"Maybe," she said.
"Maybe?"
Just then, my phone picked the perfect ti to start buzzing, the screen flickering to life with a text notification. Getting a text ssage was already a surprise for , but getting one from the person who's been ghosting this whole ti? Now that's sothing worth drawing attention to.
"Hi Dad," I muttered, my eyes imdiately darting to the screen.
Ash raised her eyebrows and ca huddling to my side, "Your father? He speaks to you from that rectangular device?"
"Mmm, kinda…" I mumbled, too focused on reading his ssage to give a proper answer.
It was a short ssage. Then again, he wasn't always much for words. Now if only he developed the habit of checking up on the situation first before making any rash decisions. Still, he was always a man of action… and acted he did.
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There was this mont in ti that lasted for about fifteen minutes where there only consisted of rapid mutterings under my breath while I went back and forth with my dad in regards to what the money should be used for.
Told him I was sending it back, that I didn't need it anymore, and to use it for mom's dical bills instead. He replied back telling to keep it, consider it as an early Christmas present or sothing.
Said to him, forget it - that's too much money for to accept. He kept on insisting anyway.
All the while Ash was standing there looking over my shoulder, quiet, with a bemused expression on her face. Probably wondering to herself how do phones even work.
But she seed to realize I was busy with sothing, whatever that sothing may be, so she held her tongue.
Later, Ash… I promise I'll explain how this world works to you in great detail one day, for now though...
After an almost endless loop of little progress, it finally culminated, and the cycle was broken as soon as dad typed up the magic words that sent shutting the hell up.
Well shit, now I can't do anything about that. Forget Dad, Mom was the real threat here. Her word is law in my family.
It was ti to concede defeat.
I clicked the power button. My wallet laid bare in front of , empty, yearning to be filled once more with cash aplenty, and who am I to say no to that?
"Hungry?" I said to Ash, a smile on my face.
Though she most likely was still a little confused over the click-clackety magical rectangle I had in my hands, the prospect of actually having lunch held her questions at bay.
"Absolutely famished," she said with a simper.
And so, for the third ti in such a short ti, we left the building once more to seek out a al for the two of us.
Oh yeah, and to pay my bills too… can't forget that. Once the electricity was back on… Lightbulbs, television, computer… Oh man, Ash was in for a treat.
After a quick visit to an ATM, we began our journey, basking in the afternoon sun, with Ash's ever-curious eyes constantly wandering off to the streets. Traffic was blaring and most vehicles were at a standstill. Ash now had a good view of the thing that fascinated her the most.
And fascinated her it did. Ash couldn't keep her eyes off of them. Which inevitably resulted in having to recite the entire history of cars and their purposes for public use.
She had so questions too.
No, they're not animals. Horses? Yeah, I guess they're like horses. No - look, I did say they were like horses, but they are not animals. Do we ride on them? Of course, we do. Why don't I have one? Oh. Well, they're expensive, Ash, that's why. No, we can't just find one in the wild and take it in - I just said they weren't animals!
"May I be able to ride one soday?" She asked as a car sped on by.
That question caught off guard. I was used to her asking questions, they ca by the dozen every minute anyway, but this was the first ti a question ca with a want, a desire.
Ash actually wanted.
I looked at her expression. "Are you curious?"
Her eyes found another car to keep her eye on, and she followed it with her gaze as it sped along its route, once it vanished around a corner, it was almost as if she was snapped out of a trance and she instantly shook her head.
"Pay no mind, forget I've asked," she said, clearing her throat. "Now, how long more till we reach, master?"
"We could if you want to, you know? I don't mind."
Ash tightened her lips. "You've done so much already. It wouldn't be right of to demand."
"So have you," I replied. "If it weren't for you…"
"Seekers do not get to want, seekers do not get to wish. In my world, speaking of such desires would warrant more than just physical punishnt. Reminders… so I may not forget. I exist only to serve, that is my role, the reason for my being. Both as a Knight, and as an Elf."
Just what kind of ssed up world is that? If that's how she gets treated back in her world, it's no wonder she's a bit hesitant about going back. Her need to serve, and her total disregard for her own life, it was starting to make much more sense now.
That world has molded her into what she was now. But not anymore.
"Don't forget," I muttered, gripping her arm like how she did mine back then. "You're not in your world anymore."
She didn't say anything then, but I think she understood what I ant.
"Let's go take that ride, then," I said, as we turned at a street corner.
Her face didn't display any emotions, but it didn't need to, because despite the hoodie covering most of her expression, there was simply no hiding the energetic twitches of her ears jutting out from beneath the fabric.
It was kind of endearing, really.
Now, a quick taxi ride shouldn't hurt, right?
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