"Correct if I’m wrong..." Evan began, staring at the ceiling as he spoke out loud. "You’re not the watch."
’Correct.’
"But the physical watch is where you ca from."
’Yes.’
Evan’s eyebrows furrowed. "Then, why are you here now? How did the appraisal thing go?"
’Sorry, information classified. Can’t answer that. But you might find answers in due ti.’
Evan sighs and sits up on his bed. He’s now having a conversation with a voice in his head and it’s not his imagination. "Okay... If you’re not the watch but you ca from it, what are you? Can you leave on your own?"
A giggle echoes in his head. ’Silly! No, I’m not leaving. You asked for help and here I am! Your handy helper!’
The voice, whatever it was, sounded different. Evan has no idea who the voice sounded like, but it was familiar. It’s not robotic or automated sounding anymore, way different from how it had spoke to him before.
Even the tone is different, like Evan is talking to another person but not quite. If he didn’t know any better, he would probably think he’s just having a regular conversation.
Which in a way, he is.
He had given up searching for the watch two hours ago. There was no point in looking for it if he can’t find it, especially since the voice said that the watch is within Evan now, whatever that ant. He had eaten dinner with his family earlier, ignoring the voice for a mont while he ate.
He can’t exactly tell his parents that there is a voice inside his head wanting to talk to him and Evan is ignoring it. They will think that Evan might have lost his mind.
Did he?
He’s starting to think that he might’ve.
’You can call Iva instead for short, if that’s helpful.’ The voice- Iva, says.
Though Iva didn’t seem to have any face or anything concrete that indicates Iva is anything other than just a voice, their tone sounds like it’s smiling.
"Iva." Evan tries and nods his head.
That is better.
"Before the appraisal...thing, you told that I’m user 4569..."
’User number 4956, yes. Evan Rotewed.’
Evan hums. He at least got all numbers even if it was in the wrong order. "Right... You welcod into sothing after registering . What’s the simulation zone?" Evan asked, confusion in his tone.
The mont Evan finished speaking, a small whoosh ca passed his ear. The sound was like he had been subrged underwater for a mont. It cleared sowhat, but there still seems to be a barrier covering part of his hearing, for so reason.
Other than that, his vision darkens sightly. Overall, nothing seems to have changed. Other than the fact that his surroundings now sounded slightly echo-y.
"This is the simulation zone." Iva says.
Evan turns his head towards the left where he had heard Iva’s voice that seemingly ca from that direction but found nothing.
"Hello?" He asked, standing up on his bed. He looked around frantically.
"Silly! I’m still in your head but only you can hear everywhere in here." Iva giggles. "Louder too. There’s a lot of things to do here. So many things, so little ti. Look around you. What do you notice?"
Evan stands up from the bed. He made his way towards the center of the room, looking around. "Nothing much here." He says. "Other than the darker shade."
He made his way towards the door and his hand passed through the door knob. His eyes widened in shock.
"Iva, what is this?"
Without waiting for a response, Evan pushed his hand on the door itself. The mont he saw that his hands went through too, he moved through the door.
His room is right next to the dining room, because of how small their house is. There, he saw his parents. Sylvia is in front of the sink, holding a plate and Erwin is using his water to help Sylvia to wash the dishes.
The most fascinating thing was that they were doing it in very slow motion. Ti didn’t stop, but it was progressing very slowly.
"Iva, did I slow down ti?" Evan asked, slowly approaching his parents. His movents didn’t seem to be hindered at all. It felt as if he is floating in the air.
There was no answer. Evan looked up in confusion. It’s not like Iva would respond if he did look up, but he usually would’ve heard a reply by now. He wonders if his hand would pass through his parents too? He raised right hand, about to place it on his dad’s shoulder.
In a blink of an eye, Evan is back inside his room, sitting crossed-legged on the bed like he had been doing before. Everything is back in the sa shade, and nothing seems to be out of the ordinary. He didn’t even get to see if he could touch other people in that state from how sudden he has been pulled back.
That was weird.
Evan knew he should test that more. Maybe he’ll get more information once he experints with that. He hoped Iva will be there to help him out.
Which reminds him...
Iva didn’t respond. Evan furrowed his eyebrows.
"Iva?" Evan called out again.
Like earlier, no response.
Evan wonders why Iva is silent now. It’s not like he had done sothing to annoy the voice, right?
"Are you there?" Evan asked again.
There is a sudden knock on the door that almost made Evan jump. Turning to it, the door opens slowly as Erwin shows up, a small smile on his face.
"Hey buddy." Erwin greets. "Can I co in?"
Evan nods his head, shifting a little to give his dad so room on his bed.
Erwin takes it, leaving the door open as he sat beside Evan. "I know it may seem like I’m disappointed this morning but I’m not." Erwin says, looking at Evan’s reaction.
Evan looks down on his hands, fidgeting with them. "Why not? I wanted to get to Stardust and I got Category Z. They’re not going to allow to enroll, would they?"
Erwin sighs. He looked more put together than Sylvia, not showing any hint of vulnerability towards Evan as he smiles at his son. "They give out equal opportunities for everyone, regardless of category, buddy."
When Evan looked confused, Erwin continued, "There is an entrance exam, rember? They don’t ask for your category, just your results in your performance in their tests. As long as you pass, you can get in."
"But... Isn’t it expensive?" Evan asked. "If I had been Category V like Samuel, the fee would have been waived. Now, we have to pay them."
Erwin placed a hand on Evan’s shoulder. "Evan, let take care of that. Don’t think too much about the expenses. You don’t need to. and your mom, we’ll take care of that. Tell . What do you really want to do?"
What Evan wants to do? He wants to get to Stardust Academy. All he wanted was to give his parents the life they deserve. They were what made Evan curious, adventurous and loved. If he could give his parents the world, Evan would.
But he knew he needed to take small steps.
One at a ti.
"I want to get into Stardust Academy, dad. Do you think I can really do that?" He asked, looking up at him.
Erwin opened his arms for a hug. "’Course you can! You’re my favorite and amazing son! You’ll do great!"
Evan giggles as he hugs his dad. "I’m your only son!"
Erwin laughs with him. "That still stands!" He ruffles Evan’s hair and placed a kiss on top of his head, after pulling back. "We’ll talk more tomorrow about the brochure, okay? and your mom... We’ll help you as much as we can."
"Okay. Thank you, dad."
He watched as Erwin stands up to tuck him in for sleep. Erwin gave him one last forehead kiss before leaving the room and closing the door afterwards.
Evan stares up at the ceiling for a mont, trying to recall what had happened today.
First, he had gotten tested and got Category Z for his mana reserves.
Second, he sohow got the watch to work and got a voice on his head welcoming him to sothing called a simulation zone.
Third, he sohow lost the watch he was planning to return and the robotic voice is now more person-like that called itself Iva.
Finally, the simulation zone isn’t a full ti stop, it seems like, but a slow down. Unless, Evan is just assuming.
What he didn’t know yet, was how he could get the simulation zone to start again. Does he need Iva for it?
"Simulation zone?" Evan says out loud, trying to see if he can get it to work by himself.
He waited for a while, hoping to hear the whoosh again. It was the only sign he noticed that it had worked.
Nothing happened.
Evan hums. Maybe he had to wait for Iva to be around? Or he had limited use?
He shifted on his bed. He’ll try again tomorrow. He’ll get so answers then. It has been a long day, after all. It’s ti for rest.
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