Jade could see that Gojaro was deeply contemplating the implications, understanding his reaction stemmed from surprise rather than anger. She quickly offered, "I meant to, but everything happened so fast. If you want to take it with you for safekeeping, you can.
I fell asleep with it in my pocket." She glanced back at the cube, noting its unsettling attention on Gojaro, who seemed equally fixated on it.
When Gojaro voiced his discomfort, "Why is this ugly thing staring at me... I don't want to carry that thing around. You go ahead and keep it with you," it was clear he had no desire to take responsibility for the cube. This moment of tension seemed to affect the cube itself, which briefly turned red, as if reacting emotionally to the exchange. Content source m-vl|em|p,yr
It then shifted back to a blue color, ceasing its stare at Gojaro and instead directing a seemingly fearful gaze back at Jade.
Acknowledging Master Gojaro's directive, Jade responded with a sense of readiness, despite the odd circumstances. "Sure, that sounds fine. But, considering none of my usual outfits are here, what should I wear?" Her question highlighted the unusual situation; after all, this wasn't her normal room, and the aftermath had left her belongings in disarray.
Master Gojaro, understanding the nuance of the situation, made his way to what appeared to be a dresser. Despite the overall chaos, this piece of furniture seemed to have been spared the worst of the destruction. He forcefully opened a drawer, revealing it was still stocked with intact clothing. "Just grab something from here that fits. And remember, keep that cube with you at all times.
Also, jot down everything about your dream in that notebook. Meet me in the eating hall in an hour, right as it opens."
"Yes, Sir," Jade affirmed, her tone conveying both her compliance and the lingering shock from the night's events. She was still perched on the bed, wrapped in her white robe, digesting the night's chaos and the morning's instructions. With a nod to Master Gojaro
As Jade contemplated the night's rest, cut short by the unsettling events, she couldn't help but wish for a few more moments of sleep. "Never enough sleep, ugh," she mused to herself, the weight of tiredness evident in her actions.
The moment her feet touched the cold floor, a sharp contrast to the relative warmth of the bed, she retracted them with a small shriek. The unexpected chill of the ground was a jarring wake-up call, further emphasizing the discomfort of her disrupted night. Hastily, she let her robe fall to the floor, opting instead for the warmth of clothing.
Approaching the dresser, she found it a small consolation that some semblance of normalcy remained in the form of clothing. She sifted through the drawer, selecting a red dress shirt and dark black jeans, a combination that felt both comfortable and somewhat empowering. The discovery of an old bra, its clasp slightly damaged, elicited a sigh from her.
"Do you want to kill me if you were given the chance?"
The cube gave the same nod of yes.
"Hmmm, so I guess I can't trust you at any point?"
It gave no movement this time.
"Why do you want to kill me and other humans?"
It gave no direction again as she thought to herself, "Well, I guess a question like that can't be answered with a simple eyeball nod."
"Is there any reality where we could work together?" she asked, looking deeply into the creature's eyeball. It gave a nod of no.
Sighing before picking the cube up and slipping it into her pocket, she stated out loud, "hopefully, I don't get charged for this messing up the room," in a slightly joking manner.
Walking out the room, Jade glanced upwards, noticing the ceiling light's persistent red flicker. It took her about 10 minutes to navigate the corridor, eventually spotting the "Cafeteria area" sign that marked her destination.
Upon entering the eating area, she observed Master Gojaro already enjoying his breakfast, a simple fare of eggs and toast. Across from him sat Tyree, someone she hadn't laid eyes on since the Erebos incident. Master Gojaro's attention shifted towards her, prompting Tyree to do the same.
Catching sight of Jade, Tyree offered a subdued smile, the severe scar marring the right side of his face and his arm encased in a cast serving as stark reminders of their recent trials.