The group continues their walk towards the elf village to meet Adam and Elise's old friend.
Elise-"I'm telling you. His name is Maurice!"
Adam-"And I'm telling you his name is Lucious!"
Joe-"Can you guys stop arguing already"
Adam-"I'll stop arguing when she admits I'm right"
Elise-"Never going to happen"
Julius-"This will be settled when we find out what his name is. Why keep arguing now before we get to the village?"
Adam-"You can't just say an argument is over until you reach a conclusion"
Elise-"Yeah mind your own business this is between us"
Joe-"It would have been between you two if you weren't so loud about it that the rest of us can't think about anything else"
Adam and Elsie scoff.
Damion-"I know you already explained that it's embarrassing but I still don't see how it could be this important to you"
Elise-"Are you annoyed with us too?"
Damion-"I don't really mind"
Julius(in his head)-"Makes sense, I feel like Damion is used to hearing a lot worse"
Voice-"Being in prison for over a third of your life you probably become accustom to arguments"
Adam-"Alright I'm sorry, our arguments shouldn't bother you guys"
Elise-"Adam's right, sorry to bother you guys"
Joe-"Apology accepted"
Julius-"You know speaking of names, I don't know you guy's last names"
Adam-"Our last names?"
Julius-"You know, your family names"
Elise-"Elves don't have family names"
Julius-"Oh I didn't know that. Doesn't that make it harder to tell who is who?"
Adam-"We didn't make that decision that's just how it's always been"
Julius-"Different cultures I suppose"
Elise-"I'm assuming you have a last name though Julius?"
Julius-"I do"
Adam-"What is it?"
Julius-"It's a bit strange. My last name is Democritus"
Adam-"Where does that name come from?"
Julius-"It's greek in origin. It's actually the same name as the greek philosopher who discovered atoms"
Damion-"So an atom shares the same name as the person who discovered atoms"
Julius-"That's correct, it's actually prt of the reason I originally became so interested in atoms"
Elise-"Where is greek?"
Julius-"The country is called Greece not Greek"
Adam-"So people from Greece are called Greek?
Julius-"Yes"
Elise-"And you are from Greek?"
Julius-"No, I'm not from Greece. My grandfather on my father's side was from Greece"
Adam-"Ok... but where is Greece?"
Julius-"Didn't I explain before? When I explained that I'm an atom about how I was reincarnated"
Adam-"Well I know you were reincarnated but so are most people"
Voice-"You had told Adam and Elise that you were reincarnated but you didn't explain your past life to them"
Elise-"Are you saying that this is from before you reincarnated"
Julius-"Yes, that's what I'm saying"
Joe-"Wait, so you kept the name you had before you reincarnated?"
Julius-"Yes, I kept my name from my previous life"
Joe-"Most people don't remember their previous life after they reincarnate"
Julius-"Really?"
Joe-"Some faint memories maybe but not a full recollection"
Adam-"How exactly did you keep your name? Did you change it back after your parents named you after you reincarnated?"
Julius-"Change it back?"
Elise-"Didn't your new parents give you a different name?"
Julius-"I don't have new parents"
Joe-"How do you not have new parents?"
Julius-"When my soul reincarnated I think I just possessed an ordinary atom, or maybe a new one was created"
Voice-"A new oxygen atom was created when you reincarnated to act as your soul's vessel"
Julius-"I think a new atom was created"
Adam-"So when you reincarnated you didn't have new parents you just... appeared"
Julius-"Pretty much yeah"
Damion-"Ok well that still didn't answer their first question"
Julius-"About my last name?"
Damion-"No about where Greece was"
Julius-"Oh Greece is a country in Europe"
Joe-"And um... where is Europe"
Julius-"It's a continent on earth"
Elise-"Earth?"
Julius-"It's a different planet"
The group goes silent.
Adam-"You're making things up at this point"
Julius-"No I'm not"
Joe-"You just told us you come from another planet"
Julius-"I also told you I'm a microscopic particle so why is this so hard to believe"
Adam-"We believe you being an atom because it's the only explanation for you being a tiny glowing dot. There isn't really any reason to believe you are an alien"
Julius-"I didn't say I was an alien"
Damion-"You said you came from another planet"
Julius-"I was reincarnated from another planet. My body was created here"
Damion-"So your soul is an alien"
Julius-"Well technically"
Voice-"Actually you come from a different universe not just another planet"
Julius(in his head)-"I feel like saying I come from another universe would just make them believe me less"
Elise-"So are you a time traveler too?"
Julius-"No, I'm not a time traveler"
Adam-"Well that would be more realistic than you being an alien"
Julius-"Would it though?"
Joe-"Well yeah, there are people with time manipulation skills"
Julius-"All I wanted to tell you guys was my last name"
Damion-"Honestly I find this conversation about names more interesting than the earlier one"
Elise-"Our past with our childhood friend isn't interesting to you?"
Damion-"No, it's just that we're comparing it to a reincarnated alien particle"
Elise-"Fair point, at least our story is true"
Joe-"Possibly true, considering the fact you can't remember what their name is who's to say your remembering the rest of the story correctly"
Elise-"Why are you being rude all of the sudden?"
Joe-"What? I thought we were all taking jabs at each other right now. Is that not what we're doing"
Julius-"I think we've gotten carried away"
Adam-"You're right. Look!"
The group looks forward and sees that down the road is a line of trees.
Damion-"Trees?"
Elise-"That's the forest the village is in"
Adam-"We are getting very close now"
Joe-"It's about time. I wonder what they have to eat there. They aren't all vegans are they?"
Adam-"Um, most of them probably are"
Joe-"Oh"
Julius-"Honestly this walk has taken longer than I thought it would"
Elise-"I did think it was closer than this, but at least we are almost there"
Joe-"This walk has taken way too long. After everything that's happened I look forward to a nice sleep tonight"
Damion-"Same, I can't wait to sleep on a comfy bed, it's time for some nice rest and relaxation"
End of chapter 43.