The darkness suddenly began to shift, its black plumes paling in colour and thinning, until it began to resemble mist. It was icy to the touch, somehow sharper in sensation than the cold brought by death. And although he appeared to be in the same black coat and plain collared shirt he'd worn in his final moments, Kadar felt strangely exposed. Completely naked.
Almost like breath mints are being crushed on my bare skin.
The shock of actually completing the seemingly impossible Escape Quest was finally beginning to die down, and Kadar began to notice some changes in his body. He felt more aware of his physical self, as though he had more control over it. And unlike his time in the chamber, he could actually sense blood coursing through his limbs. His faint heartbeat. And the whipping of the wind against his face.
His forehead creased for a moment.
Wind...? Could it be...? Am I actually... Alive...?
As though triggered by that thought, the mist promptly scattered, and Kadar quickly tried opening the eyes that he had subconsciously kept shut. It was a weird feeling. Like forcing a second pair of eyelids open that allowed one to see way more than they had before. But in that moment, Kadar cursed his lack of self-control.
*Gaahhhhhhhhhh!*
His eyes, which had grown so accustomed to the dark, were immediately flash-banged by the bright azure sky appearing above him. A feeling he found ten times worse than checking his phone while the lights were out. It'd normally only take a few seconds to get used to it and calm down. However, his inward screaming did not end there. In fact, it only became more audible, drowning out the sound of birds and bugs chirping.
"Gaahhhhhhhhhh!"
Kadar began flailing, splashing the freezing waters that he found himself partially submerged in, and trying to stand up. But the left half of his body wouldn't respond for some reason.
⌈"Shut up! I'm trying to think! Stop making our body scream!"⌋
⌈"It isn't me!"⌋
⌈"Oh? Then who else could it be!?"⌋
⌈"I don't know! I thought you were the one doing it!"⌋
Hearing two female voices arguing in his mind was enough to make Kadar stop yelling immediately. With only his head above the water's surface, he began to frantically scan his surroundings to find their potential source, but it was useless. The only living things around him were a group of brightly coloured fish, probably confused by the appearance of a grown man in their home, and a silver-scaled lizard that cocked its head quizzically and returned his gaze. He seemed to be lying prone and alone in a shallow pool, lit by a single shaft of sunlight that penetrated the tresses of a willow tree hanging nearby. There was no one else in sight.
*Am I going crazy?*
He awkwardly cleared his throat and opened his mouth to speak.
"Uh... Hello?"
⌈"Sis... "⌋ One of the voices in Kadar's head began to speak, as though creeped out by something ⌈"It's speaking again..."⌋
⌈"On its own?"⌋
⌈"Yeah. I'm definitely not controlling it. Hearing a guy's voice coming from our body feels so weird..."⌋
⌈"Etoile..."⌋ The other girl's voice sighed. Although their voices sounded quite similar, this one seemed a little more serious. Like the eldest of the two. ⌈"We're not completely sure if we're a guy yet."⌋
⌈"Then how would you explain this lump I felt between the legs?"⌋
Moving independently, Kadar's numb left arm rose from the water and began to reach for his nether regions. Instinctively he grabbed the intrusive limb with his right hand and pinned it to his chest.
"Stop!" he cried, "Stop defiling my body!"
Whoever this disembodied voice was, they somehow had control over his lifeless left hand.
⌈"Ah... It stopped me. It didn't do that last time,"⌋
"'Last time'!?" Kadar said, looking scandalized. "Who the hell are you!? What do you mean 'last time'!? Leave my privates alone!"
⌈"You mean our privates,"⌋
⌈"Etoile, stop,"⌋ The more serious voice of the two said ⌈"I don't think it's just the body that's talking. It must be...⌋
A long pause followed.
"...I must be...?" Kadar prompted impatiently "Must be what?"
⌈"I know it sounds bizarre, but you must be the third soul inhabiting this body."⌋
After half an hour of trying to coordinate limb movement with his co-hosts, Kadar managed to move his body rim of the pool, where he sat, gazing up at the blue sky. Any passers-by must have been bewildered, watching him talk to himself for so long. But, perhaps unluckily, he and the other two souls seemed to be the only ones in the forest.
As he reflected on everything that had happened, Kadar could only conclude that his current situation was a complete mess. When the gruff Harvester had promised him a new life in another world, he hadn't expected it to mean this. How was he supposed to live in a body shared with other people for God's sake? Getting used to this would probably take years, and that was assuming they managed to survive today.
Is this how the Power Rangers felt whenever they went combined Mecha mode?
Maybe he was making it out to be harder than it actually was. Maybe it would be like manning a tank but with extra steps?
Yeah. No way.
Now that their lives were all bound to a single body, they'd agreed to announce and vote on any big movements they intended to make.
"So," Kadar began slowly, "The name of the sister possessing my left leg, is Dolly?"
⌈"Yes,"⌋ The serious one answered, her voice reverberating in his head ⌈"That's me,"⌋
During the whole ordeal of getting up and moving, he'd thought it would be best if he addressed the other body inhabitants as something other than 'Left Leg' and 'Left Arm'. But for reasons unknown to him, Kadar had the most possession over the body, controlling the head and complete right half, which made him the de facto leader. And as the third wheel, he took it upon himself to get to know them better
"And the one who controls the left arm is the younger sister, 'Etoile'?"
⌈"Yep,"⌋ The other voice said ⌈"But I'm actually the older sister. By an hour. Nice to meet you... Uh..."⌋
"Oh," He awkwardly shook his own left hand which had risen by itself. "It's 'Kadar',"
⌈"Ah... Kadar. Nice to meet you."⌋
By this point, he was pretty certain that they were the same twins he'd met on that fateful day. However, none of them seemed to realize who he was.
Come to think of it, do I even look the same anymore now that I'm in another world?
Kadar looked at his reflection in the pool at his feet. His crimson hair was a little unkempt and his skin was slightly paler than usual. But still, in his usual black coat and collared white shirt, there was no mistake. He was definitely the same person as before. Though he wasn't sure why their physical body took his appearance.
⌈"Wow... I'm such a handsome guy."⌋ Etoile commented. Kadar had full control over what they all saw. It was almost as if the eyes were the window to their souls.
"Thanks," Kadar replied, still unhappy that he had to share the possession of his body with complete strangers. And from the sound of it, they had been doing some less than respectable things with it.
Guess it's die together, live together.
⌈"Oh, is this the actual 'you'?"⌋ She traced the surface of the pool with Kadar's fingers, producing ripples that distorted his image. ⌈"It does look a little familiar. Were you a fan of mine or something?"⌋
"No..."
⌈"Hmm... Wait a minute."⌋ Kadar's left hand pointed at his reflection eagerly. ⌈"I know who this is!"⌋
Ah. Is she one of my few devoted followers?
Although the actor did refrain from making a name for himself, he was aware of a little Kadar fan club that had formed over the years. But he knew it was probably more due to his appearance than any of the actual shows he'd starred in.
⌈"You're the Isekai Guy! The one who almost got hit by that truck."⌋
Oh yeah... There was also that...
⌈"Then... Is this also your doing?"⌋ Etoile continued excitedly. ⌈"Did you bring all of us here with protagonist powers?"⌋
"What? No!"
⌈"Etoile, you're being rude."⌋
Kadar tried to explain all he knew and experienced since dying. As he recounted his story, he paused from time to time, just to make sure the information was actually sinking in. However, there didn't seem to be too much of a reaction from them. They mostly listened, sometimes even prompting him to carry on with the explanation or helping him with some of the more bizarre parts.
"You two don't seem too fazed by what I'm saying," he observed, subconsciously dipping his finger in the pool and swirling its clear waters around "Is there something wrong?"
⌈"Well,"⌋ Dolly replied ⌈"We were here like an hour before you arrived, so the initial shock has more or less worn off. But when I compare our notes with yours, it really does seem like... we were resurrected into some sort of game world,"⌋
⌈"So, we really did all get isekaied?"⌋ Etoile wondered aloud. She forced Kadar's outstretched hand in front of him ⌈"Status! Inventory! Skills!"⌋
"What are you doing?"
⌈"I'm tryi--"⌋
---
[System]
Before accessing the [Soul Menu] a Name must be decided. Only the User possessing the highest [Identity] can submit a Name.
Name: "???"
Warning: Changes cannot be reset. You can only access this menu once.
---
Huh?
Etoile was the first to break the silence.
⌈"I'm not sure if you guys are willing, but I have something really cool in mind,"⌋
⌈"We're using our real names Etoile,"⌋ Dolly immediately said ⌈"Kadar, you don't mind, right?"⌋
Kadar massaged his hair uncertainly.
"Yeah. But I kind of want to hear your sister's suggestion,"
⌈"Trust me, you won't. Etoile's naming sense is appalling,"⌋
⌈"Aww."⌋
Dolly attempted to verbally enter their names on the panel, but something wasn't completely right. They tried physical contact as well, which only resulted in Kadar's hand passing through the grey window harmlessly. Only one of their names actually made it onto the input bar.
---
[System]
Before accessing the [Soul Menu] a Name must be decided. Only the User possessing the highest [Identity] can submit a Name.
Name: "Etoile"
Warning: Changes cannot be reset. You can only access this menu once.
---
⌈"I don't understand."⌋
"Maybe Etoile is the user who somehow possesses the most [Identity],"
⌈"Makes sense,"⌋ Dolly mused ⌈"Etoile, try entering all our names. Nothing else."⌋
⌈"Fine."⌋ she replied. She spoke out the names of all three of them, but the sudden appearance of a second window cut her off mid-sentence.
---
[Error]:
Only one name can be submitted.
(Rejecting 'Etoile Dolly Kadar')
---
⌈"One name? What sort of rule is that?"⌋ Etoile said in disbelief. ⌈"Let me try again."⌋
---
[Error]:
Only one name can be submitted.
(Rejecting 'Etoile-Dolly-Kadar')
---
⌈"Um... Etoile... I think we ca--"⌋
---
[Error]
Only one name can be submitted.
(Rejecting 'EtoileDollyKadar')
---
...
---
[Error]:
Only one name can be submitted.
(Rejecting 'Etoiledollykadar')
---
Although he could detect the growing frustration in her disembodied voice, Kadar couldn't help but find her attempts to say their names as fast as possible, slightly amusing.
⌈"It keeps seeing our names separately!"⌋ Etoile complained ⌈"I swear, if it doesn't accept this then I'll..."⌋
---
[System]
Before accessing the [Soul Menu] a Name must be decided. Only the User possessing the highest [Identity] can submit a Name.
Name: "Etolldar"
Warning: Changes cannot be reset. You can only access this menu once.
---
---
[System]
The Name 'Etolldar' has been accepted
---
⌈"What sort of name is that?"⌋ Dolly asked ⌈"You didn't even consult us!"⌋
⌈"It's a syllable from each of our names. See?"⌋ Etoile pointed at the window, following each letter with Kadar's finger as she spoke. ⌈"'Et0' from the front of mine, 'oll' from the middle of yours, and 'dar' from the end of Kadar's"⌋
"I think it's fine," Kadar said nodding in approval "Doesn't sound half bad at all. It's only a name."
Dolly made a strange sort of grumbling noise in her throat.
⌈"Hehe~"⌋ Etoile replied, delightfully ⌈"It's two against one, sis,"⌋
⌈"Fine,"⌋ Dolly relented ⌈"As long as you still call me Dolly,"⌋
However, just as Kadar opened his mouth to speak, the system window began to spasm, switching into a kaleidoscope of different colours and emitting a shrill screech, before transitioning into something different altogether.
---
[System]:
You can now choose whether to remain as one body or three bodies, dividing your soul into three separate fragments. Soul energy will still be shared between each user. Will you separate bodies?
Y/N
Warning: Physical capabilities may be greatly reduced. You will not be able to fuse back again.
---
⌈"Should we...?"⌋ Etoile said tentatively. ⌈"Decreasing our physical capabilities sounds like a terrible idea..."⌋
Both Kadar and Dolly answered simultaneously.
"Yes,"