Eros read it out loud. " Surviving as a Human...the 10001st guide...by the Oracle from a different dimension..." Blinking, Eros' eyes separated from the dull cover in his hands and landed on the elderly man who was busily stroking his fake beard.
Nodding proudly, the Oracle waved his hand. "You don't have to thank me for the useful tricks, kiddo. No worries. Just read it and do as it says when you are stuck on earth. These are valuable lessons I've learned from the past. Hahaha."
Kyle's paws dug into his puffy cheeks, forming an oval-shaped mouth. It was a terrifying expression, certainly not a praising one. However, the Oracle thought otherwise. He stretched out his arm and rubbed Kyle's head. "Hahaha. You little thing must be so proud of your father, me! Didn't think I would be this useful right?"
Turning his body around, Kyle lifted his butt cheeks and shook it left and right. He squealed, "I want to find a hole for myself to hide!"
"Hahaha, child, are you that stunned? You don't have to find a hole to hide just because you can't provide the same kind of material for Eros! You've helped him a lot as well." The elderly man laughed heartily, misreading everyone's expression.
Axle smiled lopsidedly, twitching the corners of his lips. He exchanged a glance with Kyle. At that moment, both of them seemed to have come to the same conclusion. 'Eros is doomed if he followed that book!'
According to a human myth, crossing fingers could help make something come true. With that thought in his mind, Axle crossing two fingers on both hands and repeated his wish. 'Please don't make Eros learn from that book.'
From his memories, Axle recalled clearly the terrifying rules written in that guide - the one the Oracle wrote. At first, he wasn't familiar with how earth was like. Since different places had different rules, Axle felt grateful for having a guide to teach him how to interact with humans.
Remembering the painful experiences, Axle shivered with goosebumps down his spine. 'No...Eros can't make the same mistakes as I did. I'll personally help him and be his tour guide. I definitely won't let history repeat twice! Never! Never ever! Nuh-uh!'
At this time, neither Axle nor Eros knew how much trouble the book would bring to them.
By conversion, a day in the underworld is equivalent to a minute on earth. Despite seeing the head-shaking gestures and arm crossing warnings from Axle and Kyle, Eros ended up reviewing the guide with the Oracle. Only Kyle and Axle would know the few milliseconds gaps between each loud swallow they forced down their throat. After what seemed to be a lifelong lesson, their tongues felt like sandpaper melting in a desert.
Hesitance glimmered in Axle's eyes when he saw the confident smile hooked on Eros' sharp features. On second thought, he shrugged and decided to wait until Eros reached earth to correct him one step at a time. At least, he will remain happy for a while longer before they get to earth.
Kyle jumped onto Axle's shoulder and stroked the top of his head. "Thanks for your comfort..." Axle sighed.
Kyle nodded and gave him a salute. "Good luck," he squealed.
Due to the outdated information Eros obtained, Axle had no choice but to make some corrections before traveling to earth with him. Of course, he waited for Kyle and the Oracle to leave first.
The second they were gone, Axle ran up to Eros and took out his cellphone. Anxiously, he flipped the Oracle's guide to the page where an old red telephone with circular numbers on a spinning wheel was drawn — rather sloppily — on the page. In one breath, he thoroughly explained what a smartphone was and how it functions. Perhaps he spoke too quick, or Eros had been lost since the beginning, he reacted by tilting his head sideways and stared strangely into Axle's marble eyes.
"How about this? Tell me what you didn't understand just now! Your eyes are telling me you didn't understand a word I just said." Axle held his iPhone in his hand.
"Everything. The Oracle just told me this device he drew with those twister cords and finger rotating holes were used for basic communication. In this case, why are you showing me this rock? It looks so small and weird." Eros continued staring at him curiously.
"Okay, first of all, that twister cord and finger rotating device is called a phone. It used to be popular before more convenient items were invented. Nowadays, people don't use this red device the Oracle drew anymore. Now, people like to use smartphones - a device we can carry wherever we wish to. It works even better than that old device because you can do a lot more using this." Axle tried his best to break down the simplest functions to prove his point. Unfortunately, there was no WiFi connection in the underworld. Hence, his demonstration was limited to certain basic applications.
As Axle tried many attempts to teach Eros on how a cellphone functions, the following conversation left him in a helpless position.
Eros: "So this rock..."
Axle: "This phone...."
Eros: "Fine, then this phone is the same as this red solidified jelly looking device?"
Axle: "When did that poor phone downgrade into being a red solidified jelly...you know what? I won't even question anymore. Here, try using my smartphone before you go to earth.."
Eros: "This rock...smartphone's face is black...."
Axle: "It isn't turned on yet. Here, you click here and hold it."
Eros: "...Is this a cursing spell? I recognize that complicated symbol"
Axle: "That's the brand of the smartphone.....'
Eros: "Oh!!! So many smaller boxes inside it! Damn, how many eyes does this smartphone need?"
Axle: "...These are applications inside the phone. See? You click on it and it'll open. Different functions and entertainment."
Eros: "You're lying! How could these things get inside this smartphone? How did people shove it in here?"
Axle: ".....Just use it and stop questioning things that even I don't know how to explain to you. Just think of some fairies with magical fingers sprinkling fairy dust on it and wala! The applications happen to pop up in the smartphones!"
Eros: "How do I learn how to use this rock when you can't even tell me how these weird boxes stacked inside of it? I should question what those humans taught you in school instead."
Axle: "I have no clue what I'm learning even now. I'm also not sure what they will teach me in the future, but one of them will most likely be how to not strangle your boss to death."