Having a little odd sensation on my mouth during my blinded state, I breathed hard and loud as I sucked and gasped for air. Feeling a strange rub on my forehead, I have awoken in a panic in worry that I may have fainted in the middle of the forest and the whole visit was an imagination.
"What....?" I asked myself as I looked left and right. Indeed I was in the outside but instead of laying on mud and greenery, I was on a bed of sorts laden with leaves, wool and dried wood. A lady slept beside me, recognizing her, it was The Black Witch. As she tossed and turned in her sleep, I held my chest as I calmed myself down with ample time. Or was I?
Cracking my neck, I put on my pair of glasses to check what is the time. Half-past nine, a pretty decent time for an early class. Class? I asked myself as I activated my watch.
("Hah shit. I am late for additional math!") Screaming in my head in surprise, I had no choice but to don my clothes as I scurried here and there.
Tumbling on the flesh-golem that I have not seen staying idle on the floor, I fell painfully on the ground and groaned in pain as a loud thud echoed through the forest, scaring the birds and the witch together with it.
Yawning, the witch brought herself up as she rubs her itching eye before turning to the direction of the sound, knowing it was me who caused it.
"What's the hurry, Ryuu? It's early in the morning and you are already being loud." She asks in question as she watches me put on my shirt in a hurry before placing it on my lab coat.
"Sorry darling, I would really like to stay longer but I have to go now. I am late for class." As I quickly explained my reason, I then head to the witch and kissed her cherry blushed cheek before leaping off the balcony. Since it was still on-ground flooring, I didn't fall from a high height which gave me an easier time to recover.
"Come visit me again, alright?" She calls out to me as she waves, watching me hop on my bike and starting its engine.
"Will do soon, witch! By times order!" As I cranked the handle, The engine bursts into speed as I drive towards a small path that led me to the cliff-side of where I descended yesterday. "See yah, Anja!"
As I shouted to her in the distance, I then drove as fast I could to return to the city lights and busy highways. Passing through cars and other vehicles along the way, I headed through a special section of the highway which gave me more space to pass through the heavy traffic.
Zooming through a traffic police officer who got surprised by my sudden pass, he blows his whistle as he then shouts angrily at me. "Watch it, idiot. You could get others hurt." Didn't manage to hear what he was saying due to traffic commotion, I then swerved through the side path of the university before descending to a car park.
Slowing my speed, I then pulled out my ID card from my pocket as I then scan it on the designated reader.
The gate opening slowly, I waited and waited before going through the given entrance before parking at the spot where I was meant to leave my bike. Attaching a special lock around the wheels of my bike with a special metal rod stand, I then sprinted my way through the compact labyrinth of this parking area before ending up towards the elevator's entrance.
Tapping the button quickly to call in the lift, I then combed my hair and tried to make sure I had no strange marks on my body caused by the witch during my sudden fall to darkness. ("Thank god...") I muttered under my breath as the mirror didn't showcase any sorts of kiss marks or blemishes that could ruin my reputation and my relationship with the beautiful neighbour next door back in my hometown.
Smiling at the peer which appeared as the elevator's doors opening, I nod my head before entering and pressing the button I wish to enter. Listening to the ever playing classical jingle in the elevator, I looked at the time besides my glasses as I then waited and waited patiently as people came in and out over and over again.
After some time, finally, I had a chance to escape the warm and humid area, Exhaling in relief then walked slowly and confidently as I usually do before knocking on the door of my designated classroom. Noticing my lecturer giving out attendance, he then gestures to me to quickly take a seat before marking me up as a present.
Seating down, I waved to my guy friend and my neighbouring partner as we then concentrated on our notepad. Making sure, we took in as much information as the lecturer gave us. We then spend an hour or so, listening to a mono-toned explanation of Quadratics which I hate the most.
"Pssst..." Some whispers beside me as my ears catches the sound. "Hey...Ryuu." A feminine voice called out to me as I turn my head to the right. It was my neighbouring partner who was ready to bother me as usual during the boring stages of the class. "Ryuu, want to go for lunch later? I heard they are selling meatball sandwiches again."
Ah, classic meatball sandwiches, a simple yet delicious treat that anyone can enjoy during a small period of time. As I nod slowly with a smiling impression, her friend raises her eyebrow at me as I whispered back to my partner. "Why, splendid. I would love to. My treat then if your friend over there wins our bet."
"Bet..?" My neighbouring partner asks as she turns towards her friend.
"Oh, hahaha..." Laughing softly in a little embarrassment, she then waves her hands and stutters before showing the middle finger to me. "Ahh, yes. We made a bet where if one of us fails to win in a game of chess, we will then have to pay for the others for lunch."
"Ahh, so that's how it is. Deal!" My neighbour replies with a playful smirk as she grins at me and my guy-friend who starting nudging on my shoulder.
"What is it, Anton?" I turned to my guy friend who spoke in a rather rough German accent with his rather broken English." "Vo? You Better defeat her, yes. I would be very sad if you lose to a girl."
"Hahaha..." I mumbled a little too loudly as the lecturer shouts at the four of us while holding his book.
"You four, if you aren't going to keep quiet and concentrate, I wouldn't mind if the class wants to hear about your latest stories." The lecturer lets out as the class laughs softly.
"See what you did...?" My neighbouring partner's friend whispers to me as she tosses a wad of crunched paper to the side of my head.
"That's not very nice, Kaila." My neighbouring partner whispered back to her friend as she knocks her hip with her knee.
As we then kept quiet and continued our studies, the time has passed by as we know it. Waiting for everyone else to leave, we then take our turn together to take our leave.
Just we were about to exit the door, our lecturer calls out to me. "Hey Conundrum, I would like to speak with you." In a rather rough and calm tone, he gestures me to come to him as he held his tablet with an unknown print of sorts.
"Alright... you guys go ahead. I suppose it is one of those talks." I explained to the three as they then left the place. Waiting at a corner, they waited for me as I listened to the lecturer's comments that awaited me.
"This is a strange request from the principal but she wants you to come and visit one of my teacher's meaning. I don't know the full story of it but someone wants to see you from one of our higher-ups." He explains as he then hands me a pamphlet written in cursive and a stamp of the officials from North-Side.
"Take this, it's something for your eyes only." As he sighs, he then looks at his tablet. "That is all. Your work is fine and nothing seems to be a problem in your education. Any questions?"
As I take a look at the stamp, I then slip it into my pocket as I shake my head. "Nothing else, Sir. Enjoy your lunch break." As I waved to him, I then exited the place and closed the heavy wooden door which led me to my friends.
As we walked through the crowd and other passing people, we talked about our everyday interests and visits before heading over to the latest trends such as clothing, fashion, music and our favourite artists. Sharing a few of my favourite Indie and Jazz musicians, they then decided to sneak in a question about what happened.
"So, why did Henderson called out to you?" My neighbouring partner asked me as she made a curious look. Her friend intervening, as usual, grins at me before teasing me.
"Probably something about his grades or some sort of assessment rework."
"Oh, fuck off. It's nothing like that. He gave me a strange pamphlet and told me to visit the teacher's meeting after lunch. He said someone wanted to see me. Other than that nothing." I explained as I pat my pocket to check if the letter was still there.
"Ooh, a little scandal perhaps with the principal?" Kaila teases me once more. I was used to it as she mostly did it just to get a reaction. It is mostly for kicks but my neighbouring partner may have been a little annoyed by it and warned her multiple times to stop for some reason.
"Kaila quit it. That's really not funny. Have some sense of pride." As my partner mutters once more in an annoyed fashion, she then grabs my hand and headed into the cafeteria. "Let's go to the line, I will pay to treat you today, alright? The bet can be used for the bar or restaurant."
"Alright..." As I replied in a little daze of confusion, I then waited next to my partner as we then chat about our daily lives.
Anton and Kaila shrugged off as they had already lunch prepared, so they found themselves a seat to relax in as they waited for our return. Sending us a silly photo of some sort of selfie, We guessed where they might have been seating.
"So, how's your relationship lately with your boyfriend?" I asked my partner as I noticed her a little worried about something. "Sorry if I asked so suddenly."
"Ugh hah...about that. We broke up. He wasn't my type."She immediately answered as she knew I would have asked that way before. Winking at me, she pulls out her credit card, before ordering the food. "We will take two orders of the meatball special and also a tray of fries. Oh yeah, also a bowl of your Caeser salad, no cucumbers."
As the receptionist repeated our order, he then taps his cashier before asking if we wanted to pay by card or cash. Willing card, he then activates the card reader and hands it to my partner. Scanning it, she then puts back her card into her fancy purse which I was still a little confused why people would go to such lengths to purchase branded cosmetics as I was dragged once more to the waiting spot.
"Oh yeah, I broke up with my boyfriend. Sorry for being quiet suddenly." As she giggled timidly, she then looks at me gives a noticing smile. "Yeah, he was a little too noisy if you get what I mean? He mostly talked a little too much about his recent purchases and then decides to don't show it off for some reason."
"Uh-huh, and that bag you have. Was it one of his gifts?" I asked curiously.
"Ah, you noticed. Why yes, it is. I wanted to toss it back to his face but I didn't want to be bitchy about it, so I just kept it as some sort of farewell gift." As my partner explained, she then gave me visible steps of her trying to increase her relationship with me. "Hey Ryuu, on Saturday, I may have a grilling party with a few mates, Yes Kaila will be there too. Would you care to join? I mostly see you in your apartment most of the time and you don't seem to have a part-time job, so I thought you may be free."
"Sounds good, I suppose I can free put some leeway to my schedule." As I tapped my spectacles, I then moved my finger in the air for a bit before choosing and putting up a timeslot in my calendar. "What time will it be around?"
"Hmm, around half past four in the afternoon till ten. Drinks and games will also be available." She says as I gave a verbal agreement. "Yeah, at least we have one guy who decides to accept our invitation."
"One guy? Do your gang barely have boys invited or something?" As I asked with a little bit of a blush, I then pick up my tray of fries and my packaged food as I followed her to our seat where Anton and Kaila were waving sporadically to us.
"My gang don't really like guys around, and few of them are rather, you know what." She explains as she winks at me once more.
"Ahh, homosexual..." I muttered as I then took a seat where Anton smacks his hard and heavy hands on my back. "Owch, Bruh, what the fuck?"
"Lol, sorry." He says as he then pokes his fork into his meal of sausages and potatoes, a typical german dish. "So, what happened between you and her?" He whispers into my ear.
Not wanting to be rude, I kept the invitation silent as I explained some trends and some things about our upcoming musical gig next week.
"Ooh, drums. I didn't know you did those. I play the piano so I don't think I can fit in much, haha." Anton replies as she chews onto his food. "Vat Genhre is it" Speaking with his mouth full, I opened my packaged food as I bite onto the cooling bit of the sandwich.
"It's rock and jazz," Kaila replies as she went together with the lie. Anton and Kaila had a semi-dislike yet acquainted friendship with each other. They used to date when we were first years but over time, they became more distant and much more back to friends, maybe something happened among the two, but I barely got the chance to ask as I had my own assignments to work on. "I will play the Guitar, Selina here will be with the Bass and well, you already know what Ryuu plays."
"Shounds gut." As he swallows his overfilled mouth of potatoes, he then sips onto his can of lemonade. "Woops, sorry about that."
After some time of endless yapping and conversations, I was then separated from the gang as I was basically free the entire day, well except for the meeting.
Heading through a flight of stairs, I was interrogated by the security guards as I was then led in by one of the head staff into the meeting room.
"Sorry about that, our head of security forgotten to explain about one of our student's arrival." The staff explained as she guided me to sit down on a designated leather chair.
As I listened and watched the principal explaining the other teachers about their current problems and guiding them to treat their students well, she then looks at my lecturer and starts berating him about how one of his students is going to flunk the exam if he doesn't keep it up to pace. Me knowing my fair share of experience of the class, I assumed it was the guy in the corner who spends most of his time yapping about drugs to his geeky partner.
The principal noticing me, she then explains it was alright and it was not me. Yeah as if I didn't know.
After some time of lecturing and guidance, the teachers were let off the hook as the principal then presses her phone and asks her secretary to turn down the blinds and on the video call. A little confused, I turned my chair towards the screen as I was greeted by a rather mature face with fluffy ears, poking down towards the camera. "Hello hello, is the mic on?" She questions a few times as the principal kept telling her it was fine.
"Ah hah, Hello there Principal, I see you have brought the boy I asked for. Please, bring him up for the call." As the person replies, she then orders her own secretary to brighten the lights only to surprise me as I stood up and bowed. "Miss, I am grateful!"
The principal following my greeting procedure, the person tells us to seat down and told us this was more of an informal call.
"You might be wondering, why one of us ministers are calling upon such as yourself but I am pretty sure you know it by now. Principal if you please, could you excuse us for a bit."
The principal nodding, she then grins at me in a little confused way as she left the room and locked the meeting room door.
I then exhaled softly as I looked towards the camera. "Oi, what is it this time, Fusui? Suddenly scaring my university for a sudden check-up."
Chuckling away in a light tone, she sips her glass of water as she loosens her tie. "Oh come on, you know why am I here. To check up on you of course and well, your progress in your never-ending mission. Also, it is nice to see you still have the same face even after two thousand years."
"Hahaha, I mean I am time travelling between our time and the other paradoxes. SO it makes sense why age doesn't work the same. I am still eighteen and still a busy student in GIT-U as you know." As I joked with her, the principal was a little curious as to why I was laughing and being rather friendly to the minister of North-Side. Looking through the small glass pane, she watches my video conference with her.
"Jee, along with as my knight is still fine if you get what I mean. Anywho, I am glad you are still fine with my past and younger self. You are doing a great job in keeping our timeline safe, that's for sure. After your past self has passed away, now we are relying on you to make sure the other paradoxes are fine with it." As she sips her glass of water, she accidentally slips and spills the water onto her suit, as clumsy as she is as usual.
"So how're the others?" She questions as she wipes her suit with tissue paper.
"Well, I know where the witch is now. Kisuen, we are still contacting each other through video call, barely, Nia is busy taking care of the same kindergarten and well the others, still unknown."As I explained, I then brought up some information about their past selves too.
"Huh, same interaction precoders then. That's good enough, just continue what you have to do then. Oh yeah, make sure you find a way to keep Yore the same as always and have more of the other species let in. Especially the demons, they could be useful." She explains as she reads through her logbook.
"South-side recently spiked in the economy due to their good art industry. East-side still rivalling with them yet making a rather balancing outcome. West as always keeps on leaving half of their secrets hidden and here, well, everything seems fine so far. Human and Monster interactions seem to be a good go."
"Thank goodness, at least there's one less worry about East and South's relationships. Now it's just West and the other coasts. The Americans seem to be a little odd out with their contracts so I don't know about that. Their new president seems a little machia in his choices." I replied as I read through the news from my handphone.
"Yeah, we are conversing on that but they seem to still be on good turns on our side. Just that, they keep on too many military secrets yet to uncover. Try to go around the 80's and 90's time, try to breach into their history if you so could."
"Isn't that a little dangerous? I mean we could create another paradox." I asked in a worried way.
"Solve the paradoxes then. We need as much information as we could. Clear? Glad to see you still well and healthy, by the way. Mono ah mono?"
"Ey, sure." I replied as I then nod to her. "And you still have those lusty look on your face that's for sure, even during conference meetings with the public."
"Haha, very funny. It's what you call a smile." She replies as she then looks at her phone. "Well, I guess that's what we can share so far. Continue your good work alright, and perhaps maybe when I am free, a coffee date?"
"A coffee date, with a two thousand five hundred wolf-girl, huh? Sounds like a good and rare deal." I answered in a little sarcastic way as I waved to her. "Catch you later."
"Yep." As she turned off the phone, I was then excused out of the meeting room as I then walked down a flight of stairs and to my room. My principal finding out about our strange conversation was by the probability of always happening so I always left it off as a useless waste of trying to covering it up. Thinking it was just crazy talk, she left it up in her imagination as I then sat in my room and sulk in front of my laptop screen.
Connecting my watch to the laptop, I notice my roommate sleeping once more deeply before I tapped the button of my desired application. Travelling through sets of numbers and binary, I was then back at the chosen time and date back to the old ancient civilisation of Yore.
"Back to work... as usual," I mumbled. "Ryuu Conundrum, you are the only hope for this," I told myself to boost my confidence.