The next time I woke it was to a ticklish feeling at the tip of my nose. I blearily opened my eyes and that movement caused the butterfly that had been perched on my noise to fly away. Unlike most times when I woke up, I didn't feel tired or like I'd even gone to bed, in fact, I felt better than ever especially when I looked over to my right and found Eudoixa in a similar position to me.
Her eyes were just beginning to open, and as I slowly got to my feet I once again spent a long moment just taking her beauty in. We were in the front garden of my parent's home, and the land around us looked like something out of a portrait. The grass was verdant green and the trees in the distance had branches packed with vivid leaves that swayed with a gentle breeze. We were most definitely not in the street where my parent's house would have been on earth, but I didn't mind. My surroundings looked beautiful, and off to my left just down a path beyond the front garden was what looked like a small tranquil pond.
"I feel like I'm in a ghibli movie," I muttered to myself.
"It does look beautiful doesn't it?" Eudoxia noted as she got to her feet.
"So it wasn't a dream then?"
She gave me a bright smile. "Not at all, now why don't we take a look around. I may know of this place, but none any of the inner details."
"It definitely looks more dreamy and vibrant," I commented as I turn and look at the house.
It was three stories tall and quite wide, with a garage that could fit two cars on one side. It was a mix of classical and modern with its ensign. It looked pristine, like how I'd imagine it in a dream rather than reality. The last time I'd seen it, it had been falling apart, but now it looked brand new.
As Eudoxia and I made our way to the front door, I felt a wave of emotion well up in me. I'd never thought I'd get to see this place again, most certainly not in this condition and in these circumstances.
"Do you have keys?" I asked as I searched my pockets. I was stills dressed in the clothes I'd had on when the light had hit me. A simple pair of jeans, and a shirt.
"We don't need keys," She said. 'This is your world. Just wish the door open."
I frowned then waved a hand and thought about the door opening. I felt a connection from in my mind then the door opened.
"Oh, can I do anything?" I asked.
Eudoxia shook her head. "Adding or making any changes will cost C-Points, remembered, but simple things like opening a door, turning the tv one, and other smiler things will cost nothing, even I can do those."
We entered the house, and I stopped and breathed in the scent. It somehow managed to smell fresh and clean yet similar to how it had been when I was a child. The smell of carpet was there, but it wasn't overpowering or rank, and there was the faint hint of lemon from the air freshener my mom had always used, but it was almost perfect this time. Not too powerful, but not too faint.
"Where to first?" Eudoxia asked.
"Let's go from top to bottom," I suggested.
We moved through the house, and I showed Eudoixa everything while I reminisced about old stories and things that had happened. Everything was similar yet improved. The kitchen, the living room. It was all there, but the furniture was better as were the electronics. When I got to the area the router usually was, I sighed.
"I'm really going to miss the internet."
Euxoia quirked an eyebrow. "Then just get access to it using C-Points."
"I can do that?" I asked.
"You can make any changes or additions if you have enough C-Points. Do you want a floating castle in a land of clouds you can walk on? Then just get enough C-Points. Do you want talking golem walked around or battle maids? Just get enough C-Points."
"Would ten be enough to get wi-fi?" I asked.
"It would only cost a few, but I suggest we search the house then make a list of the things we need," Eudoxia reasoned
That was a better idea, and as much as I wanted the internet, it could wait, especially since I had other better things to do. We moved from the first floor to the second floor and I showed Euxoia all the rooms, from my father's office to the gym space my mothers had built for herself. It was nothing special, but I couldn't help but smile at the sight of everything. It was home.
The third floor was what I was most excited about. It was mostly unused rooms, but it was also where my own bedroom lay. It was exactly how I remembered it, and I flopped down onto my old, or new bed I should say, with a laugh. What was even better was the fact that the expensive pc setup from my apartment was in the room along with my bookshelf, full of my favorite manga and hard copies of old games.
"This is the best." I sighed. "I can't believe it's back."
Eudoxia took a seat at my desk. "Well, it is. Now it's my turn to show you the travel room."
I shot up at her words. I'd completely forgotten about that. "Where?"
Instead of responding, she stood and I followed her as she led me to the end of the third-floor hallway. I was confused at first then I noticed the extra door. I looked around and counter five rooms, one more than there should have been.
"This is where the travel room is, or whatever you end up calling it," Eudoxia explained.
She opened the door and I followed her in. My jaw hit the floor as I took in the room. It looked like something out of a fantasy book. There was a round table in the center that was mostly wood apart from the top which was open to reveal a swirling nebula of color. It was a vortex similar to the one I'd seen just before I'd passed out when the light had engulfed me.
I only briefly looked at the rest of the room before putting my full attention of the table. "What is that?"
"This is how you'll be traveling to other universes. By focusing and placing your hand on this orb."
She drew my attention down to an orb that lay just out of the range of the swirling nebula. She placed a hand on it, and three small dots of light rose from the mass and floated into the air above the table. "These are currently the four universes you can travel to. All you have to do is focus on one, and you will be teleported to a random location on that world."
"And if I want to return?" I asked.
"That's where the complicated part comes in." Eudoxia looked away guilty. "Once you travel to a world you have to spend a certain amount of time on it before you can return."
"How long?" I asked with a bit of worry in my voice.
"Depends on the world and how much you grow during your time there," She explained. "You will be alerted once you can travel back and after that, you can travel to the world and back freely."
"Can I bring things from the world back here?"
"Of course," Eudoxia said.
I looked at the four dots of light and wondered about what each would have in store for me. Four universes, worlds for me to explore and grow in. I had to hold back a laugh at how absurd this all sounder. Like something straight out of an anime or light novel, yet it was now my reality.
Suddenly my stomach rumbled and I remembered that I hadn't eaten anything in a while.
"How about we get something to eat first then you can use your tickets and we can go from there?" Eudoxia suggested.
I nodded. "That sounds like a plan."
We headed out of the travel room and down to the kitchen where I was happy to find a fully stocked pantry. In fact, all the cupboards were full of food, even the fridge, and freezer. "This should last a while before we need to use any points, you up for some pizza?"
Eudoxia shrugged. "I've never had food, so I'm up for anything."
"Pizza it is then," I said and was happy to note that we had the expensive brands. My subconscious really had gone all out, not that I was going to complain.
I unwrapped two large pizzas then quickly put them in the oven and set it to full heat. I had a closer look around at everything while the pizza's cooked. There was literally everything i could need and I wondered about how exactly things were powered.
"Eudoxia, how do we get electricity?" I asked.
"It came with the world," she replied. " A benefit of your mind and spark."
"So what, unlimited electricity?" I asked.
"Closer to unlimited power for your appliances, not unlimited electricity," She said.
"Still," I said. "People back on earth would kill for something like this."
The pizzas cooked quickly and I plated them up and pulled two cold sodas from the fridge. Eudoxia looked down curiously at her food before she looked back up to me with a questioning look in her eyes. Did she not know how to eat a pizza?
Using the pizza cutter I'd found in one of the draws, I cut both out pizzas into slices then slowly took a slice and put it up to mouth all while keeping eye contact with Eduoxia. I took a big bite and let out a sigh at the taste. It wasn't anything special, but neither was it bad. Eudoxia copied my movements and took her own bite. Her eyes lit up like a kid on Christmas, and soon she'd finished her first slice and was onto the next.
"Slow down," I chuckled. "There's no rush."
I reached down opened my soda and took a long pull. Eudoxia paused with another slice halfway to her mouth then copied my actions. She drank the entire thing in just a few gulps and was back to earthing her pizza. It was so odd, watching such a beautiful woman eat so fast and ravenous. She reminded me of Goku or Luffy with the way she was eating.
When she was done, she looked up at me with a pout.
"You can have the rest of mine," I said. "A few slices is enough for me."
She still managed to finish off the rest of my pizza before I was done with my last slice, and I had to grab her another soda to wash it down it with.
"That was fantastic," she said as she leaned back.
"If you liked that just want until I cook up something."
"You can cook?" She asked.
"A few dishes," I said. "Now what was that you said about tickets?"
"You still have two to use," she said. "Then we, or should I say you and your companion can move into your first universe."
"You aren't coming?" I asked.
"I can't leave this world," She replied sadly. "At least not until your more powerful."
"I see, well then I'll just have to get more powerful then," I promised.
"I look forward to it." She smiled. "Now would you like to use them here?"
"Living room," I replied. "No reason not to get comfy."