He was sitting on the hammock looking out the window, not knowing now what to do, does he just wait it out. or find something to keep himself busy in the meantime. But with what exactly, go to some new levels, since he has three weeks to do whatever. He smiled to the freedom he had, even if he bound himself to something that would somewhat take his freedom he felt happy because it would continue bringing on new moments for him to enjoy. He looked out and rain began pouring gently down, this was a stage people wouldn't want to be on the attractions, because going through them would be hell of a challenge, since they could easily slip up.
He would imagine himself going through them, slipping and then standing back up to continue forward, and finally the drop off. He found happiness in it as it kept his mind busy, yet it gave him the calming sensation, the sound of rain giving the window a soft kiss. Perhaps he could lay down and take another nap, and so he covered himself with the undone blankets one fluffy and the other plain looking and as smooth as it can be.
He closed his eyes and turned off his mind slowly drifting off to sleep, nothingness enveloped his senses, allowing him to be in peace with nothing to bother him. He allowed his physical self to rest as his body felt numb, for what felt like seconds. Unable to see the actual nothingness after some time have passed with his brain taking a break with analyzing the world in and out. A world suddenly appeared, his subconscious self taking over, but then something felt different. He felt his midn rushing in as if trying to prevent something, a rush of adrenalin, the feeling of a powerful presence within the dream world.
He slowly began walking by the building, until he reached a Cafe where a woman waved at him. He didn't know her, neither has he seen her, he could feel that it was her that was causing this. It caused every part of his body warn him of it, the feeling up his spine, the fast heart beats as if expecting a situation where he must commit fully to a battle, his legs feeling slightly strange tensing up.
Yet she seemed so calm of it, a gentle smile on her face, something luring to him. He wasn't sure if he should ask what her deal was, but without any other choice, he stepped forward. "Hello!" He said yet behind his words there was still skepticism. "Hello there! Would you be interested to sit with me for a cup of tea?" The woman asked her eyes still being filled with delight. Yet the kid didn't know how to take on that offer, should he refuse he didn't know what would happen, but in the end he agreed, sitting on the opposite side of the table, he looked around, the surrounding seemed familiar to him. A calm feeling washed over him, allowing his mind to flow with thoughts smoothly. "Before we go any further... May I know your name?" He asked looking at her with one hand before his face and palm towards the sky.
"Of course, My name is Blanche Von Haderach. But I prefer to be called me by just Blanche. May i know yours? It's only fair." She replied with a straight face.
"I don't know mine... But I don't need it, unless it's for recognition..." The kid said he was slowly becoming more comfortable in her presence, he felt a strong power behind this smile. "... This is not just regular dream, neither a lucid one... I literally woke up in this alternative version of reality fully aware... I suppose you have been wanting to meet me then?" The kid began theorizing, what is actually happening, from time to time pushing his chair on its back legs.
"Indeed, I find you intriguing. Perhaps we can share stories, if you agree?" Blanche said
"Oh... Now that's something... I have been searching for a story or at least something interesting to watch or participate in... Soon I will have more of a story to tell, unless you are curious about what I have done prior to my future." He replied, looking upwards bored and then back down at her his attitude changing.
"Yes, I did love to hear more." Blanche replied happy that he agreed.
"Alright... Now where do I start?..." He looked down and put his chin on his knuckle. He took a deep breath going through what he has already done. "I suppose the very start... So I woke up at a dark level, I was given birth here, a floating island across an infinite void. This is when I realized I had powers, the ability to go through space from level to level. I went from there to level 11, then the frontrooms, I think... Sorry my memory is blurry when it comes to this." The kid was challenged to become a narrator of his own background, it wasn't as easy as he thought it would be, but it was still something.
"Oh no, It's alright. Please continue." Blanche replied comforting his imperfection.
"So, when I got there the world was a loud place, it wasn't like the one i was used to, even if it continued I think close to ten minutes. It was chaotic and full of life. The noise the emotions that people emitted. I found it all so beautiful. No!" He said, thinking that he messed something, like his memories are mixing up. "I think I found the beauty in everything at the later stages of my existence... Nothing really interesting happened, except I created a level, connected the dots between entrances and exists of it, made a few items. If you want I can show you the items." To which Blanche nodded because if she said something in agreement her sentences would have begun to repeat themselves.
With that, he summoned a pencil and a box of cigarettes. His original brand both of them, xOn the clouds' "This are my most notable creations, at least in my eyes... I suppose you are trying to come up with a conclusion on why my brand is called 'On the clouds'?" The kid asked looking down at them and then back up at her.
"Not really, but your words has driven my attention... Could you tell me?" She replied.
"I call it that, because one will make you feel as if you are walking on the clouds. I would give you one, but I feel like you are open minded for you to not need them... I created them to cure myself of doubt or anything that infiltrated my mind into making me question my own existence... The questions that can't be answered are really messing me mentally. But if it happens, then either I am letting it happen, or it is meant to be." He said his mood degrading by the second. "I am sorry that I took it this personally." He said grabbing onto one the box of cigarettes to quiet down the rushing thoughts, but then he felt her touch on his hand, stopping him from taking it any further. "No, I am sorry to hear that... if you want you can speak out your pain..." She said her tone filled with genuine care. It felt strange to him, something was pushing him away from it, yet another part of him was willing to allow it. He took a deep breath before speaking again...
"It's alright, you don't have to bother yourself with it." He said trying to pull the box and his hand from underneath hers. But instead she pushed it with more strength. But this kind of stopped him as other types of thoughts rushed through his mind, something pulling him towards her. Why exactly, he didn't know. "Alright... I'm feeling better, you can let go of my hand." He said to which she did as she was told. "Anyways, so after some time walking from place to place, even though I traveled from one country to another I found one that is more interesting. I fought a villain actually, they are kind of dead now... I am glad I spared whoever I fought after... I have killed a person, who has merged with the flesh of many... No need to imagine this, trust me... But the rage they felt, the sheer emotion was something so interesting to me. Since then I have developed a more merciful version of me... I remember I helped a man get back on his feet in the backrooms, so basically they held a person at gun point, i was interfering with the heroes work in that matter, as most of the time since with a power like mine I am unmatchable I believe..." He said looking at her knowing that she might be his match. "But i gave them an option to live their life again, here... Well not actually here, in the backrooms I mean. To be honest i have become numb of the questions that bothered me before. I still don't have a name and I feel awkward when someone asks me of one, but it's kinda fine. Oh yeah, I still haven't showed you pencil." He said grabbing it and summoning a piece of paper. "Can you suggest me what to draw?" He said looking up at her. From his back bent position. "Let me think... Perhaps a portrait or an animal." She replied, and so he went with the first option, and began drawing a portrait of her. It took him a few minutes to draw a better looking one, it stared at him, the alive ink.
"And I am done." He said showing her the final product, and almost perfect portrait, and the best part the drawing was alive technically, but not actually.
"I have to say I am impressed. But wouldn't you place you signature?" She asked giving him back the painting. "Could you come up with one for me?" He asked calm and a little bit annoyed by it, he didn't had a name yet she expected a signature, not everyone has their stuff made. "Sure... How about Ethereal?" She asked with a happy smile being allowed by him to give him some guidance. "Ethereal, isn't that a word?" He replied. "It is, but if you want we can just bend the word into a name of course it can just be a nickname... Like my own..."
"Everyone suffer from lack of a name it's a choice to focus on it or not... I am sorry that my way of thinking is causing you to question yourself... Let's make it Etheral and leave it at that..." He said hoping to push her out of the questioning process. "Blanche pull yourself out of it. I don't want to pass on the pain I felt."
"Uh sorry... I zoned out for a moment. What were we talking about?"
"I... I can't actually recall except the moment that actually mattered, pulling you out of it. And now... I have a name thanks to your help... But all this talking about me has left me the impression that you don't have much of a character. At least developed in my mind. Can you tell me something about yourself?"
"It's only fair... You teld me a lot about yourself, and so I shall give you the same amount information about me." And so she began explaining some of her stories, things that she has written it took her quite a while to be done with it, "You have one of my books I believe... If you want you can pay me a visit sometime. Just rub the tip of your finger on my signature and you will be sent to my domain." She said finally finishing her story telling.
He felt sad for how he was talking to her, she seemed to value politeness and even when he wasn't the best when it came to it, she still had the patience, but what was her actual motive, was it because she found that he could provide her with stories and other stuff to feed her curiosity. "Oh my... I have been speaking for a while, haven't I? I hope that I haven't bored you." Blanche said she giggled a little as if it was a joke, and to the most of the part it was, she went out of her way just to speak more than him even, but communicating with her was actually pleasant for him.
"No, you have said some great stories, but what now? Is this the end for this dream?" He asked looking disappointed in it, he felt a distant feeling of the finish line. "It doesn't have to be. But I have guests to greet... So It has to be." She said also looking disappointed, she also enjoyed his company, even if not the best treatment, it was alright for her. "Take care till we meet again, would you dear?"
"Blanche, wait before you go... I am sorry if i offended you somehow during this interaction. When we meet again it will be better."
"It's alright... I'm looking forward to it... Goodbye Etheral." Blanche said waiting for a response.
"Goodbye Blanche, it was a pleasure meeting you." He said quietly but enough for her to hear it, through the silence of this reality.
Then everything faded into a black, like the flick of a light switch.