Chapter 584

Chapter 584: Finding Alternatives, Part

I don’t get it.

I seriously, seriously, don’t get... just... why is it that the more context I attain, the more my bloody head pounds and swells? Especially right here, especially right then, hearing what Amanda just said – felt like a ten-ton anvil just dropped onto poor little me from terminal velocity.

A simple curiosity, I peek my eyes just a slight inch over the edge... and so easily I went slipping and falling into the murky depths of a bottomless rabbit hole of Sworn Seeks, Mystical Stones, and unspeakable acts of cold-blooded sororicide.

I never made the careless mistake of thinking that I knew Ash through and through knowing her as I do. I’m more than aware of the span of time I’ve been with her was like a mere speck of grain in the sand in the vast desert of her entire life and what she’s been through... but whatever the hell I was expecting myself to stumble upon, it as sure as shit wasn’t something like this.

Amanda waited until the raging hurricane of emotions had finished blowing past my expression, then to my gawking urging stare, she vehemently shook her head outright refusing to elaborate any more than she already had.

“That’s all I’m allowing myself to say without imposing on Ash’s privacy,” She declared unapologetically. “What you do with that info next is all on you. If you wish to pull the wiki page right here and now and finish the story – you have the right to that. But my advice? I think you and her might need a long sit-down sometime soon and really start getting to know each other.”

I didn’t even dare try and argue, especially not when she was so right on every account. All along, I’ve placed Ash’s enigmatic history far from creeping into my thoughts. Was thinking it was something I never had to know, and for all intents and purposes, I still don’t actually have to.

.....

But I want to.

“I understand if you think I ended a little abrupt there, but just keep three things in mind,” Amanda lifted her head, leveling her gaze with my own. “One – Eshwlyn loves her sister very much and is willing to do anything for her. Two – there’s a good reason why inevitably she would become a loyal servant to your Mother’s fictional counterpart.”

“And three?”

“Ash, by all accounts, is a terrible, terrifying, despicable Elf,” She said, slowly smiling, a gentle expression mixing well with the softening of her stare. “But also a very, very good person.”

Between our gazes hung this heavy pressure in the air, a gloomy vibe that Amanda began doing her best to swat away by doing what she does best – making a fool of the entire thing.

“I mean there’s gotta be a reason why half the fandom, including you, continue to taut her as the one and only best girl, right?” She asked, her smile curving to the shape of mischief. “Unless you horny bastards are really just that into her boobs and body. Honestly, it can really go either way.”

And guess what? She succeeded – all traces of tension gone and done.

“I mean,” I muttered, shrugging. “They are quite nice.”

“Oh, and of course you would know all about them, right?” She said, layering down a look of judgment in her expression. “Must be bliss falling asleep right beside her every night.”

“We have different rooms.”

“Like that’s gonna make any difference,” She scoffed, eyes rolling in the direction of doubt. “Tell me then, did you even go to sleep in your own room last night?”

My sudden drop to silence answered for me, and unfortunately for me, the silence can’t lie for me.

“Yeah,” Amanda stiffly nodded, not particularly pleased at being proven right. “That’s what I thought.”

In spite of it, she couldn’t remain reproachful for too long a time, and in time, she found herself huddling back, laying her head against my shoulder, and resting her hand atop mine, and for a time, we just sat there in the quiet together, occupied by my own thoughts, and she in hers.

Or so I thought.

“Hey...” She called out, her phone in hand slipping into my sight. “Have you seen this yet?”

In actuality, I’ve more than seen it – I’ve already heard of it before, way back when I was recuperating my health out in the country. Nevertheless, the feeling of surprise hit me again just as hard as the first time reading those familiar set of words before my eyes.

<>

Amanda tapped the screen, and instantly the sound and beats of a trailer began to play out. Fade-ins and fade-outs, establishing shots, scattered exposition dripping in ambiguity – your typical teaser affair.

Many faces filled the screen across its short length, many nameless strangers, save for the very end, where I quickly recognized a young Elf frolicking amongst a lush meadow filled with greens, and how could I possibly not? When for the past few hours, she was all I could possibly think about?

The trailer soon ended with the flash of the title as well as a fleeting glimpse of the game’s release. Alas sadly, I don’t think ‘Coming Soon’ really leaves much to be excited about.

“Looks interesting... graphics are nice,” was all I could muster up when it came to giving input. “I’m guessing you’re excited then, huh?”

“Over the moon, you have no clue, dude,” She affirmed with utter glee, promptly stowing her phone back into her pocket. “But that’s not the reason why I showed you that.”

“There was a reason?”

“Yep,” she affirmed again, her gaze staring back at me with twinkle and wonder. “An idea just hit me, and if you are still on board with it, then maybe... maybe you can grant Ash’s wish, after all.”

Her expression was sparkling suddenly with such a bright glimmer of hope and promise, it got me more than curious actually... it also got me hoping again too.

“If you’re talking about summoning...”

“No, I’m not talking about summoning,” She shut me down immediately. “You won’t have to, you won’t even need to, think about it – why do you have to summon somebody that already exists in the first place?”

I let out a long croak, searching for an answer but only drawing blanks. “Uh, afraid I don’t know this riddle.”

“Not a riddle,” She gave her a quick shake, slightly exasperated. “Listen, there’s going to be a showcase happening soon, another convention, where more details about the game would be revealed, and guess what? Plenty of the cast members from Asteria would be there in attendance too... now do you see where I’m going with this?”

Ping! Click! The answer fit perfectly in my head. It was a stroke of genius, what she was suggesting – and I gaped at her, in sheer awe of her quick thinking. Something she responded to with delight.

“Lenora’s voice actor and mocap always love meeting new fans,” Amanda went on, turning what was one an impossible prospect into reality. “So I’m thinking why not go and have her meet her biggest number one fan of all time? It’s the next best thing, right?”

“Right, yes, you’re right!” I said, in my head already formulating a meticulous plan to make this happen. “You’re amazing, Amanda! Seriously, amazing. I never would have thought of this! You’re an angel.”

The shower of praises I was gushing out had Amanda’s lips stretching wide from ear to ear, and I could probably continue on until I flooded the world with compliments.

“All you need now are two tickets for admission,” She stated, and right at that moment, her smile gave a quick twitch. “Tickets... that have already sold out about a week ago.”

Even in the slowest of slow motions, nothing would be able to catch just how fast the hope dashed away from my eyes. It was like a shot in the gut, a stab in the gut, a kick in the gut – point being, it really hurt hearing that... hurt in the gut.

“You’re not joking?” I asked in a feeble attempt to deny the bitter reality. “They’re really no tickets left?”

Amanda lifted her hand up again, stuffing them both deep into the warmth of her wooly coat, the look in her eyes a bleak one, “Early bird catches the worm, unfortunately,” she murmured. “And you’re a little late...”

I felt the back of my head collide with the sturdiness of the hard wall as I slumped back, my despair vocalized in a cold howling sigh leaving my lips agape.

Just... so close to an answer... only for it to slip from my fingertips. Except... a thought just occurred to me.

“Then, if there’s no chance anyway, why’d you even bring it up in the first place?” I looked back at Amanda to my side, my furrowing stare reflecting back in the deep, dark hazel of her eyes. “Why would you suggest that as an answer?”

Under intense scrutiny and undivided attention, with this heavy pressure between our gazes once more, Amanda attempted valiantly to maintain her composure. But little by little, it started to fracture, cracks forming, joining, before with a hard blink – completely crumbling.

In a spur of movement, Amanda sprung free her hands, formed into tight fists, with one landing back onto my hand. In my open palm, her fingers slowly unfurled and I felt something light ruffling from within.

When she did finally move her hand away, I saw it. The corners crinkled, the centers folded, two thin slips of paper slightly fluttering with the light breeze from shattered windows across my skin.

The tickets.

I knew it.

I felt my jaw muscles stiffly contract. “Amanda, you...”

“Surprise!” She limply exclaimed, smiling, a single hard clap ringing out in the vast quiet. “Merry Christmas.”

My eyes kept locked onto the pair of tickets, not one, not three, but two, just the right amount I needed, and she just so happened to have it.

A surprise this was definitely... but merry this was not.

Definitely not.

“V.I.P...” I muttered, reading the fine text scribbled down at the bottom. “This is... so this is why you brought this up as a viable answer, you already bought tickets.”

Silence in both her smile and gaze. Just a nod, nothing more.

“But unless you actually are psychic, Amanda...” I slowly continued on, brandishing the tickets before her eyes. “You didn’t just so happen to have this on you as an answer to the problem I’m facing.”

“No...” She said quietly. “But hey, who knows, maybe I am psychic?”

“Amanda,” I said solemnly. “What did you really plan to do with these tickets?”

Then that’s when all pretense went flying out the window. Amanda dropped her smile, her gaze plunging down, a huge hoarse sigh reverberating loudly across the walls.

“Ugh, I had it all planned out perfect and everything too!” She admitted, rubbing and squishing her face firmly into her swaying palms. “I’d say something, you’d say something back, then I pretend to be hurt, you’ll pretend to apologize, and then – ”

“You pull out the tickets,” I finished, already too well-accustomed with this script. “My apology to you...”

“I had everything set up already... all that was left was to leave this building, and the plan would have been a sound success. ” She muttered, lowering her hands down, and unveiling a wistful expression. “I bring out the tickets, your single chance at redemption... and there’s no way you would say no to me, because I know you’re kind, you’re lovely, want to make me happy, and in turn, I would have been very happy.”

A wistful expression indeed... and yet not a single sliver of regret, as she turned forward at me with a tender smile.

“But then I just had to hear you out, I just had to want to comfort you, just had... to want to see you happy...” She reached out, digging her fingers into both my cheeks and dragging hard, forming a pseudo-smile on my face. “So just be happy, alright? I foiled my plans for you. The very least you can do is give me what I wanted... and just smile for me...”

Slowly, she let go, and my smirk went along with it.

“At the very least... you can do that for me,” She repeated again, her own smile faltering too. “Right?”