Monsters, beings that while typically described as being large, ugly, and frightening, have no defining trait attributed to them. Elephants have their tusk, trunk, and big ears defining what makes them the beings they are. Alligators have their reptilian scales and where they’re usually located in that defines them, as well their jawline and snout being what makes them different from crocodiles.
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFc7VI3ZcCk
It goes back to the most generic grouping of animals, where everyone can tell or have a reference to decipher what a fish, mammal, reptile, or amphibian is.
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkA0gQj5gWF
Even creatures the mortal plane finds as imaginary such as cyclopes, manticores, and unicorns have their species-defining traits everyone recognizes.
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkboMW9DHdb
Yet none such features exist for monsters.
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ42E8n4a8oz
Everything one could say defines a monster is extremely subjective, a preferential take on how they view a being that has no definitive form.
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXoX4nSZTB5
But throughout all iterations of monsters that exist in people’s minds, there’s one common denominator that connects them all in the minds of people; Fear. The mind-curdling emotion that is fear drives humanity’s view of what a monster is. Being sparked from a creature’s appearance to their origin, or what they’ve done and are capable of. Regardless of how fear could erupt in a person, it’s a piercing instinct they’ll instantly recognize when faced with it no matter what form it takes, which is why anything can be determined to be a monster.
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmFnzr7HNDV
“Hey!”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpu4PY72VWG
The loud silvery voice snatched Kokoro’s attention, who found himself staring down at a steamy bowl of tantanmen ramen.
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK3N9IM5NFv
“You ok over there?”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ88DWUomgKH
Confused that he was looking down at a delectable meal, the pale-faced soul remembered hearing someone call out to him and turned toward where the voice came from. There, sitting next to him at the table counter, he found the ruby-haired woman who had been kindly dragging him around purgatory; Seodra.
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiQAvRbXHH3
“Oh good you’re alive… well sorta,” she said, tilting her head at him, “Although we’re both already dead you were extra looking like a corpse just sitting there.”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡizwCC1XMNo
Seeing the woman with her own bowl of noodles cured Kokoro of his amnesia and he remembered where he was and what he was doing here.
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUw2mBoyHuB
He was enjoying a meal at a noodle shop Seodra recommended.
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDI6MtC1OoP
“Must’ve zoned out again,” Kokoro concluded, steadying his mind. He looked slightly irritated setting his attention back on his company, telling her, “You know, I can do without the constant jabs at my appearance.”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJHG4DzHwNv
“Then stop looking like such a ghoul,” taunted Seodra, chuckling that the first time she has seen him show an expressive display of emotion was him looking grumpier than usual, “Geez, I can’t help making the comparison when you’re sitting still staring into space like that, you look as if you have no soul; and we’re literal souls right now.”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ058PZTMRHv
“I get it, I look horrible but it can’t be that bad from all the carnival appearances here. Come on, there gotta be some worse-looking people than me here.”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCTG9Xce2El
“You’re right but usually those aren’t the kind of people who starts off in purgatory.”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdOo8HcAzwh
“Eh?”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6Qnl3bMzrg
“Oh, you better eat your noodles while they’re still hot,” Seodra told him, picking up her fork to enjoy her bowl of japchae. Jabbing a thumb toward the direction of the counter, the ruby-haired woman told him, “The chef here doesn’t like it when you let his food get cold.”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiXTZxcdAkd
Looking over the counter, Kokoro saw the well-fit form of a blue-haired chef standing tall in his kitchen glaring down at him. The store owner spoke in an exuberant voice like he was in an action character, with such vigorous movement he states, “Food is one of the key essences of human existence equal to breathing, not only does it nourish the human body but also the soul. It’ll be a disservice to the dish to not eat it right and what’s a better way of doing it than enjoying the meal when it’s at its best! So eat up while it’s still hot and fresh!”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxpqzzIyHJE
Picking up the chopsticks provided to him, Kokoro groggily replied, “Please stop yelling I’ll eat, see?”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6r3GNyhfPs
He glanced up for a second to see the store-owning chef was still intensely staring at him, obviously waiting for him to have a taste. After slurping some noodles, enjoying the tang of flavor, Kokoro looked up at the store owner hoping it’ll be enough validation for him to be left alone. Though he didn’t facially express anything, his attempt was successful as the chef smiled at him before turning around to continue his work.
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiHBWNzKCiZ
As Kokoro let out a relieved sigh, Seodra discretely asked him, “If it’s not to your liking, you don’t have to pretend. Zhi here can take the criticism and likes tailoring food to people’s preferences.”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpDM2DbQbq6
“Oh no this is fine,” Kokoro told her, taking a second look at his bowl, “Well…maybe a bit more of a sweet tang than sour but it’s actually really good. How did you find this place?”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfEWuWYE98P
“Same as most other places, usually I go by recommendations but I liked this place’s emblem and decided to try it out. Risk well worth it since I keep coming back!” Seodra states, giving Zhi a gesture of appreciation for his craft. She then took one of the menus off to the side and slid it over to Kokoro for him to look at the noodle-based emblem for the store.
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUUX5zxPWoB
“You went to a restaurant just because it had a pretty picture, isn’t that a bit childish?”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuDFX5ZHGLp
Seodra simply giggled at his comment, “That’s how people prefer to identify themself here. It works better to entice customers.”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF0jgYQb5HW
“Eh? Now that you mention it, when we went to the market place almost none of the stores we passed by had any names on their signs,” Kokoro said, looking down at the menu again. On a second look he noticed that while the menu was mostly all stand-out pictures, there seemed to be a few written words next to each picture in a language he couldn’t read but recognized. It was Mandarin, a traditional Chinese language.
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo7RHbLSCDy
“Despite being able to understand what everyone is saying, you still can’t read a language you don’t know.”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYH92yQ0dze
“That’s inconvenient.”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSKSVOhmfUK
“You have no idea but people manage to get by. Most store owners still name their store but rely on stand-out symbols to be recognizable as to not isolate potential customers. While niche stores that focus on a certain culture or time period have their market, there’s no telling where you’ll end up in Purgatory, and hoping your area’s demographic will include enough people that’ll like a certain culture at a specific time period isn’t the smartest move. If you see words or letters from a written language on a store’s emblem then it’s usually flavor text to look unique and to signal the kind of culture style they mainly cook in. It makes it a lot easier to figure out which place will cook in the way you like.”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1RKDD7qZzP
Taking in this information, Kokoro nodded his head, thinking to himself, “That’s actually interesting, I wonder what else people do here to adapt. Guess it was lucky she took me to the market.”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBUOoKLtwnU
As the silver-haired ghoul continued to stir his utensils in his bowl, he eyed the lengthy noodles floating in the broth, and his mind wandered back to what happened earlier. It’s been weighing on his mind like a sack of bricks since.
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmdiwr9vnFZ
More importantly, it’s what he encountered at the market that won’t leave his mind.
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH9lPWh482O
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHu3gjEQCFj
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzhK0PG15E3
There were many things in Purgatory Kokoro didn’t know, it was like when he first attended university by himself where everything felt familiar but he barely knew how to work through it. Yet without a doubt, seeing the discordant silhouette of the creature through the dust cloud he knew it was a monster; his body reacted to it as such.
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWszcDpOD39
That’s why he was frozen while the creature freely moved toward him through the blinding puffs of smoke.
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6TLH8AxWLq
This monster, a being radiating with ill-intention, was reaching out for Kokoro yet the silver youth couldn’t move his body; only staring at the monster’s palm closing in.
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKIAM9EqNeN
Yet, not one gnarly finger of the monster laid itself upon Kokoro’s gloomy hair. Before contact was made, Kokoro heard something cut through the air as a long metallic weapon flew over his shoulder and stabbed the center of the monster’s hand.
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ32nQu86frw
The shriek of pain from the monster broke Kokoro out of his unmoving trance, allowing his first reaction to be looking to his side for whoever had come to his aid. All he was able to get was a glimpse of a red blur that leaped forward before there was a chance to identify who it was. Through the dust, Kokoro watched a human figure as it drove its long weapon deeper into the monster’s flesh before mounting the creature and taking it to the floor; disappearing beyond the thicker smoke.
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPcGUnM1JQc
A cacophony exploded beyond the dust cloud from the monster screaming to the rapid stabbing before going silent almost as soon as it started. When the dust cloud had mostly cleared up Kokoro started seeing the crowd’s silhouette as they believed the silence meant it was all over. But Kokoro has yet to see the person who confronted the monster rise from the ground.
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgDJYSVDqLB
“Shikata!?” Seodra’s voice rang out from the approaching crowd.
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTEvTfAWUmO
Kokoro looked behind him about to answer her but then the ghoul-looking soul snapped his head back, sensing movement among the thicker part of the dust cloud. Still being conscious he moved forward, relying completely on his instincts before reaching out into the unknown space. Suddenly his hand felt like it was carried away by the current of a river, moving out and managing to grasp something in blinding smoke.
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDr9j9VsN1s
Feeling it in his hand, Kokoro could tell it was a soft material; like fabric. With his mind focusing solely on what it was he grabbed, he yanked it toward himself to examine it; finding a red cloth with gold markings tucked into his grip.
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZWxBtxVr9u
He might’ve been a bit too concerned about examining it as when he pulled the cloth toward himself, he dragged a whole nother body along with it as well.
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxUddu9Y1iG
Remembering that whatever he grabbed would most likely belong to the person who came to his aid against the monster, he preemptively said, “Sorry I just wanted to–”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC3xbEWwR7B
His words were cut off when emerging from the dust cloud, his surprise savior revealed themself but he wasn’t met with a friendly face; it was a masked one. Through the mask’s eye holes piercing neon blue glared at him, despite recognizing the mask its appearance looking pretty demonic from the horns sticking out on top and their eyes that looked at him similar to that monster from earlier; he became speechless.
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMj2o1KjzEA
The Masked Stranger seemed perplexed as well, staring back at him before their sharp eyes trailed down to Kokoro’s hand grabbing their red cape. Snatching it away, The Masked Stranger gave one last lingering look at the silver-haired man before jumping away; disappearing from view without a trace.
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeT8LW9djPd
It was only after the Masked Stranger left that the crowd became fully visible from the dust cloud.
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjHDkIkD2Yl
“Shikata, are you ok?” Seodra asked, approaching him as soon as she found him. Thankfully the dust cloud had almost entirely dissipated by now making it extremely easy to see each other.
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDUQJF6Bz98
Kokoro didn’t answer her, he was still staring longingly in the direction he last saw The Masked Stranger. Something felt weird when Kokoro laid his eyes on them and he couldn’t get his mind off it, his mind just seemed uncontrollably drawn to the subject like many of his other obsessions. Once he gets into it, it’s annoyingly hard to pull him out.
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrDBDuhuJbe
“Hey! Mr. Silver Ghoul!”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEZzKueYih6
That did the trick.
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0L0eCIovCC
Looking more disgruntled than usual, Kokoro told her, “What!?”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkLzJKfIP4q
“Oh good, you’re alive,” Seodra casually responded, she smiled before asking, “So uhh… you’re hungry right?”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ82WniDNgnW
…
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI2itDu1XuO
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi6vXeHtglA
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvQqxhOIv1k
“Who was that person?” Kokoro thought to himself, stewing over the issue, “That was obviously a mask on them so they didn’t actually have horns, which means they can’t be another monster. Well, then again all sorts of appearances can happen here. I’m human yet I’ve experienced a dramatic body change, not to mention this freaking chain on my arm. Hmm, if she needs a mask to look that way then she should be fairly regular, I doubt anyone here would put in extra effort in looking abnormal.”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUTVHwOgNqt
“Hey, you’re zoning out again,” Seodra called out to him.
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIhSlATVpAj
Kokoro jerked back to full awareness, stating, “Huh? Oh, fuck. Guess I was.”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj4Sk80YrFU
The Irish woman leaned against her fist on the table, sprouting a soured expression as she mops, “Are you so disinterested in me that your attention can’t help but be constantly fleeting.”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGvqrSeaXqP
“Ah… no it’s-–”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPDkscaNstj
“I know I’m not the best at being coy for a guy like you or whatever you’re into when you speak to a girl but like damn at least have some consideration for a lady’s heart. Be subtle and let me down easy.”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBMVYYt0YYj
“Dear lord stop it, you’re fine,” groaned Kokoro, it’s always a headache when his demeanor fuses with his contemplation habits; especially when it happens around a girl. After mindlessly stirring his ramen bowl, he turns to the red-haired Irish woman to explain, “There’s… something I can’t get out of my mind.”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6mDiPLJDkL
Seeing his expression, Seodra looked saddened, saying, “It’s what happened at the market, right?”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2Yc7b0umw4
No answer came from Kokoro as he continued poking at his food but it was obvious what the issue was, it was written all over his face. Granted his face already looked distraught but now it went even beyond the normal levels.
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxuolli3VER
Sighing, Seodra gloomily says, “Sorry that happened on your first day, and here I was stupidly hoping some food would help you forget about such an encounter since no one got hurt but it seems that thing made a bigger impression than a bowl of ramen. Wish I could do more to prevent this kind of stuff from happening but unfortunately, this sort of thing is something you need to get used—...”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiKc5ARdrgU
“What was that monster anyway? Just being in its presence… I haven’t felt that way in years. Why does Purgatory even have creatures that can crash into the middle of a city?”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6vVLIhkUmo
“DUDE!”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ9UCBk2nHM
“Huh, what?”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe4yPMbTBQY
“Couldn’t have waited till after my heartfelt spiel to blank out?”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq41p8l4dQa
“Sorry, I promise it’s not completely intentional.”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ46JYEqg5Y7
“Well, I can’t be mad at you for being absent-minded considering what you- Oh for fuck sake!”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG0ewNj3L1e
“Even in the afterlife, there are still things I have to look out–”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡekn8mPDKt9
“Can I finish a sentence, please!?” exclaimed Seodra, yelling loud enough to regain Kokoro’s attention.
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNQN3l10U41
The stoned-face individual awkwardly scratched his neck at his actions before asking, “Well, can I ask you something?”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXsa5LZrWR3
“If that’ll keep your mind here, then sure,” grumbled Seodra.
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIVHZMUjXAi
“What was that creature that crashed into the market, where does it come from?”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ34eXynebeM
“Something that–,” Seodra stopped for a moment to check and make sure Kokoro was still listening. Her glare pressured the silver ghoul to continue eating. After receiving a gesture that he was actively engaging with her, she continued to explain, “What you saw in the market. That was a demon, and they came straight from the realms of hell.”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7wDQiqt4if
“Hell!? How are demons from hell roaming around in Purgatory? Shouldn’t there be some force to prevent that or something?”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkoYdTXlfdA
“Remember Purgatory’s place in mythology, it’s not the most accurate but it’s a decent guideline to start with. Purgatory is the middle ground between a fate of damnation or bliss, while it’s usually written to be metaphorically placed between those two ends of a pendulum, it’s a lot more literal.”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkmXkED1IIV
“You mean, below our feet–”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0NLTT3Nl1F
“Underneath the ground we’re standing on is the realm of Hell.”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV6k0bWRqRb
Her last words echoed in Kokoro’s mind like a boom in a cave. Hell, despite all different iterations and interpretations of what hell is, there’s no question that the common consensus is that hell is a dreadful place to be in.
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmZMBwJMyYz
“Just being near it and demons can still jump out to attack the public,” thought Kokoro, staring at his bowl, “What kind of hectic place did I end up in? Demons that can just drop in on public places? I thought the point of not going to hell is to avoid such creatures. Then again, if this is supposed to be the compromised place to end up, like a scale weight on both sides will be placed.“
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡshane74GNy
His eyes leisurely trailed to the side to see Seodra gawking at him, making him sigh, “Oh give me a break, I’m allowed an inner monolog after that tidbit.”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCJR38PXdDF
“You should start a memoir since you like monologuing to yourself so much!”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhXw0RJaJQu
“I did have a memoir when I was alive. Well, more like I had stacks of paper containing my hodgepodge rambles put together in a binder I kept in my drawers.”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7bhDXfHbhH
A chuckle came out from the ruby-haired woman, trying to talk through her excitement, “That’s a good one, can’t believe how spot-on that is! You know, I’m a bit of an academic myself. If you start one again, let’s trade notes sometimes.”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0OExaSezKA
The only response the silver ghoul gave was a low grunt, “...I’ll consider.”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFB2E03nTDf
“Ah come on, don’t be shy,” Seodra tells him, patting his shoulder, “Whatever you’ve written can’t be that bad.”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5qpewBaHA2
Silence fell over Kokoro, his mind ran by the numerous times he wrote some unadulterated opinions and theories involving some of his clients. Those were logged with the expressed purpose of never seeing the light of day, EVER. Prompting him to reply, “It’s just… extremely rough to read. A waste of time I stupidly committed to.”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKBi54CpdiX
“Everyone has embarrassing notes they’ve jolted down.”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV98BgAHmp8
“Yeah…” was all Kokoro could respond with, hoping to quickly change the topic by asking, “What did you work as anyway?”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMYvSoimfGl
Before an answer was given, a sudden arrival into the restaurant caught their attention.
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYDM34R3rb7
“Oh thank the lord, you’re here,” stated Mary, the angel Kokoro first met when he awoke in Purgatory, and who he ditched soon after getting his clothes on. Her wings were arc down as she was panting heavily, speaking between gasps, “I was looking all over for you?”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxGVK3ytNDP
“Did you run here?” Seodra asked, eyeing the angel’s choice of wearing heels. While fashionable to gawk at, the Irish woman’s ankles were aching just thinking about what this woman experienced.
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcDFowAqOj1
Mary answered her with a nod.
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeI52AheEjD
“Why didn’t you fly, you have wings,” Kokoro pointed out, nonchalantly continuing to eat.
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQVgzPNOupI
“I wanted to keep my relatability,” gasped Mary, taking deep breaths to recompose herself before continuing, “And not be overwhelming by overexposing you to the supernatural.”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnO8XJeuRmV
Wiping his mouth and turning to the angel, Kokoro responded, “I’m from the age where stories of regular people ending up in worlds filled with magic and other mystical concepts are a dime a dozen. After all the stories I’ve read, seeing an angel fly wouldn’t be that mind-blowing.”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFToaBAceIG
Mulling over his words, Mary mumbles, “I guess you’re right.”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSjdDOfzxZ2
“Plus he got attacked by a demon so that bandaid got ripped off pretty quickly,” casually added Seodra.
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0RnfVMvCL3
“WHAT!?” exclaimed Mary, nearly falling over herself.
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡa3JEPV4HCu
“I wouldn’t say attacked, more like encountered one when it crashed into the marketplace we were visiting,” corrected Kokoro.
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYZININ0y2b
Panicking, Mary was reinvigorated with energy as she rushed over to Kokoro, placing her soft hand over the silver ghoul’s face and torso asking, “Are you ok!? Did you get hurt!? Is there anywhere you’re feeling pain!? Are you feeling well!? I hope you didn’t encounter anything too scary!”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWU0i6EQ1wF
Kokoro simply blinked, “I’m fine.”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡY7bMNkMFmK
Thankfully that response, along with his stone-face glare, was enough to get Mary to stop checking him, “I-i see.”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrQD14bx0iH
After clearing her throat, the angel continued, “Well, I’m sure you have a lot of questions.”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbYv2eOYhFD
“Obviously,” Kokoro thought but kept it to himself.
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZIJJtYBypH
“If you’ll follow me, I’ll gladly answer them,” suggested the angel, giving a formal gesture leading to outside the restaurant, “And maybe along the way we can continue our previous conversation.”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVohrqXRa8d
“No.”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNu7A2QL65B
“What?”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡt8qM0KzRkw
“I’m good,” the silver ghoul responded, turning back to the table to finish his meal.
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2zDVcUuOei
“But- uhh, I– you sure?”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaDRRcZP0VM
“Yup.”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡChAxzqLzYn
“There are no questions you want to be answered?”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBWbMv2g51S
“Oh there is, I just don’t want what’s attached to it.”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDSZPvubfQd
“You don’t even know what I’m going to ask!”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRIe1STapiC
Curious, Seodra asked, “I thought you had to leave him early?”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxqMVcXQqlM
“Is that what he told you!?” the angel exclaimed, snapping her head toward the silver ghoul to give him a crabby expression.
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl6ohdZvr9q
“Oh yeah, I did say that,” was the nonchalant answer Koko gave, “Well, it was more like I jumped out a window when she was talking.”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdhgeZOm5Pq
“Right as I was able to pitch the opportunity of an eternity!” Mary added, sounding irritated but more hurt that a highly anticipated opportunity was snatched away from her on a whim, “And I was so nice to him too!”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc4IsRIHgSu
Seodra snickered, “That’s rough. How can you be so mean to Mary, Shikata? She’s pretty cool.”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ84ygdCJLVB
“I didn’t feel like listening to a job pitch when I just woke up,” Kokoro snapped back, “Who wants to hear about working after dying?”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtya7gKkj27
“...Huh, can’t argue against that. Yeah, I’ll run away too,” the Irish states, stretching her arms, “You two mind if we take this outside? I wanna stretch my legs out after a meal?”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlFBpDbPj42
“But… I just got here,” murmured Mary, after how far and long she had been running, she could use a seat.
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAJrXuqRPUE
Unfortunately for the kind angel, she was outvoted and the three of them ended up outside the restaurant. It gave Kokoro one more chance to admire the exterior as he questions the logic behind putting a noodle restaurant on top of a giant plant vine bigger than the building itself.
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu7QH61jpUy
“What was this place called again?” Kokoro asked, making a mental note of how they got here again. Though with the giant vine it’s on top of, he thought it might not be that hard to miss.
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnE8GsJVovp
“Noodles From The East,” answered Seodra, enjoying the fresh cool breeze of air. Looking up at the sky, she noticed how late it has gotten since the sky had darkened to a cold purplish-blue; one of the few times during the day where the soul residing in purgatory can look up and feel like they’re alive back on earth. After taking in the dazzling view, Seodra turns to Kokoro to say, “Apparently it’s some kind of pun on a- oh for fuck sake!”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmVwq7DFDhJ
The ruby-haired woman let out a grunt of annoyance when she saw her silver-haired guest once again staring off in the distance as if he wasn’t listening.
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEsh6vUAJlR
It was by pure coincidence that Kokoro turned his head to see a very angry Irish woman glaring at him like she wanted to wring his neck.
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiXXD0VWffc
“What?” he asked, confused by the daggers being thrown by her fierce shining eyes.
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7igq0G2GcS
Sighing, Seodra turned to Mary, shaking her head before stating, “Can’t imagine what you want with him, it just seems like a lot more trouble along with the rest of Purgatory.”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXnEsltS7ZT
“Oh don’t worry, he may not look promising but he’s what I need for the plans I have in mind.”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCtpA5dkqxx
“I doubt it’ll do too much, not much can shake things up here; Purgatory got its reputation for a reason. But hey, congrats on your passion project.”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXjIUm6jI19
“Trust me, his talent is the component I need. I just need to convince him to use it!”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMlDogEA9r5
“Good luck, he’s not even paying attention even now,” Seodra pointed out, gesturing to Kokoro who was again staring off in the distance.
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡokYhwS31Gf
Still not facing the girls or actively engaging in their conversation, Kokoro asked, “How deeply populated is this area? Like, does anyone live around here?”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPvoxVkW4ub
“I bet he didn’t even hear what we say,” commented Seodra, placing her hands on her hips.
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiGUdeYEQVE
Not looking back, Kokoro replied, “I did, it’s nothing new I haven’t heard before so I opted not to care.”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPKmuO4opr7
“Not to interrupt but should we be heading over,” Mary suggested, trying to lure the group into following her.
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrYEcEv29jk
Taking a final look into the surrounding vines, Kokoro meanderingly started walking behind Mary saying, “Alright, hopefully it’s not too far of a- wait a minute.”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmBcnOFqlPf
Sending his steely-eyed look upon the angel, whose guilt riddled her body down to her wings, he scolds her, “I haven’t agreed to anything yet. How are you an angel yet so deviously sneaky?”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2vztbij8lo
Pressing her fingertips together, she mumbled, “My goal wasn’t to be deceitful, just to guide you toward a great idea.”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6dKTvlxM8z
“Then offer what may entice me enough to hear you out like a normal person, or angel.”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5S00FKH5IY
“I did but you rejected it!”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYMOMfSOHUO
“Then step up your game and bring something better.”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZASF3CQpsO
“Like what, you’re hard to read at times.”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtK8Obn1MY7
“Ok, but how is that my problem though?”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlXnz7NZFSq
“You could at least throw me a bone,” the angel moped, finding a respectable offer for such a detached person was a far cry from what she was expecting their whole meeting to go, “Usually the new arrivals I greet are more cooperative. Well, guess I’m getting what I wanted. Now how do I nab him?”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡazFwkuSPa1
As the angel pondered over it, Seodra looked back to the restaurant with an estranged look before slapping her forehead and stating, “Oh shoot, I forgot to give something to Zhi for the meal?”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTZ8vepOtEf
“I thought you said it was on the house?” questioned Kokoro.
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG6H80bqJBg
“It was but this is more of a friendly thing, don’t worry about it,” Seodra told him while searching on the ground for something.
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMnXJPLZBdh
“What are you looking for?”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡI6z7yeAhWf
“A couple of- ah come on, I know I saw some here when we entered; where are they,” she mumbled to herself.
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDnuOTtOptU
The other two would watch helplessly as neither knew what she intended to get until finally, the redhead rose back to her feet with a couple of small stones in her palm. After clasping her fist shut, she brought her hands close to her lips as she mumbled words Kokoro wouldn’t hear. It was a magical reveal when Seodra opened her hand and showed a single sparkling gem.
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyBUOJSgBqU
Seeing Kokoro’s longing glare at the supernatural occurrence, Mary’s eye lit up as bright as the jewel did as her mind became enlightened with an idea, “That’s it!”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLkBfZf2fYR
Flying swiftly toward Kokoro, the angel made her offer.
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmDIhqdjSOY
“You’ll listen to my idea and I’ll teach you how she’s doing that,” Mary exclaimed, pointing to Kokoro’s chest, “I’ll rev up your soul and help you learn how we fight against the demons from hell.”
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7Ap4xqhGgL
TO BE CONTINUED
259Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmE5KtcRAuG
