Review reply time!
YumikoWantsCake: Wow, thank you for your thoughtful review! I don't mind that it was lengthy at all...in fact, I LOVE reading long reviews! They really help! Thank you so much!
Mia Vaan: You'll find out if she's invincible or not in later chapters, including how she's going to eat when she gets hungry. Don't worry, these things are going to be addressed eventually! ;) Thank you for your review!
Earthpatriot117: I made it so the girl knows what's going to happen so whenever something happens that's not supposed to happen, she'll get a big reality check, lol. I'm glad you're enjoying this so far and looking forward to more :)
ArchanyAngel: I do love to try and make everything as realistic as possible. Nope, things are not going to be easy for the main character at all, lol ;)
xxxx
I just stared back at the giant, completely transfixed by how huge he really was. I was still in shock from getting kicked for a second time, so I couldn't really move. In the game, the boy bad gotten back up with no problem and had introduced himself to Trico. In real life now, my entire body was on fire from the abuse that it had taken.
I couldn't even speak when Trico lowered his head towards me. I wanted to scream, but nothing came out. I just watched as he continued to nuzzle me, somewhat grateful for the gentle and loving contact.
He still had his collar on that kept him attached to the chain, so he wouldn't be able to leave unless I got up. We both wouldn't, so it was then that I made an attempt to at least move.
The attempt was unsuccessful when my arms, too stiff to even try and lift them up, caused me to fall in a heap back to the ground.
Trico whined, staring at me with a 'concerned' expression, if that was even possible. He sat down on his hind legs, scratching his neck with a claw just as a dog would. Then the creature nuzzled me once more as if he was encouraging me to try again.
Nice to know you care, I thought aimlessly. It was hard to think about anything at all with the way my head was pounding; I was sure that I had gained some type of head injury from being kicked around so much by a gigantic foot. Luckily though, I didn't feel anything wet or oozing which meant that I hadn't cracked it open (by some miracle.)
I noticed that I was being tickled by the beast again. If he truly was worried about my condition (as if he knew that he was the one who caused me to get hurt) or he was just impatient and wanted to get started on the long journey ahead, it was hard to tell.
I couldn't help but smile regardless, and I realized that it was the first time I had actually smiled since getting stuck in the Last Guardian world. If there was any hope of getting back to my own world, I had to get up!
Trico let out an excited yip-like sound, only deeper. And loud—his 'voice' still hurt my ears, especially when he was so close to me. When I was finally able to use my burning arms to push myself up, I made a pitiful cry of surprise when Trico decided to grab me by the scruff of my neck, using my robe's collar. He placed me gently as he could back onto solid ground and I nearly toppled over again, but managed to keep my balance.
"Thanks," I muttered, relieved that my voice had returned.
I froze. I was now standing directly in front of the giant, and he was no longer hurt by the spears that had kept him tied to the floor in a lying down position. In a standing position, he was even bigger than I had expected! If you're short and know anyone who's taller that always towers over you, imagine them...only ten times taller than they already are.
"You're huge. No offense," I told him, keeping an eye on where and how he was moving. Trico was downright adorable, yes—but he was also a gigantic and powerful being that could crush you in two seconds flat.
Once I was over (not really) the fact that he was so big, my eyes caught sight of the collar around his neck that was made to fit his enormous size.
"Want me to get that off?" I asked, remembering how the boy had to climb up onto Trico to release it by using the lever.
How I had to climb up on Trico to remove the collar. The dog-bird scratched himself in a sitting position, feathers dropping down from his body.
"I'll take that as a yes," I said, readying myself to perform the needed task.
Gulping, I reached a hand out. Trico held still, making my job surprisingly easier. He watched me carefully as my hand crept ever closer.
My hand made contact.
I realized that this was the first time I had pet him. Actually pet him, not just climb over him to pull a spear or two out. His feathers were so soft and smooth, like silk. They felt exactly like a real bird's feather! I stayed in place for a moment, mesmerized by just the feeling of his feathers alone.
Incredible, I couldn't help but think. I was actually petting Trico! The fangirl in me nearly squealed in delight, but I somehow managed to remain composed. I had to free Trico from his prison!
Twisting my hand around his feathers, I did my best to copy what the boy had done to climb up the giant's body whenever he needed to. It was harder than I expected, having to use what little strength I had to pull myself up; almost like rock climbing.
Soon enough, I found myself standing on top of Trico's back. Did I mention I'm afraid of heights? It wasn't too bad, but I was definitely going to have a lot of 'fun' when it came to the rest of the game's leaping and tight rope walking.
I didn't need to think about that right now; I'd cross that bridge when we came to it.
The lever was in plain sight. I moved over to it and took hold, forcing it downwards the best that I could with my still-aching arms. The collar released at last, and Trico was finally free!
"Is that better?" I asked, just the same as the boy would have.
All it took was yet another scratch for the helmet that Trico wore to slide off his face.
Normally, the boy would simply leap off of Trico. But it was still pretty high up for me, especially in the real world; I couldn't just blindly trust that I would land safely on two feet without a scratch. No—I had to make my way back down Trico in a more reasonable manner to avoid hurting myself further. It was a miracle that I had made it so far, and there was still the entire journey ahead of us.
Once I was safe on two feet again, I took note of the fact that it was daytime now, which meant I had been knocked out through the whole night. I was distracted from my thoughts when Trico snorted and bent his head down, nudging me to get my attention.
So that's what you look like! Pleased to meet you, Trico! I thought to myself, remembering the boy's delight in seeing the creature's true self without the helmet for the first time.
A simple 'hello' was all I managed to get out, my mind clouding over in shock once more that Trico was actually here. He was real, and I was actually petting him!
"Nice to finally meet you," I couldn't help but laugh as he let out a happy chirp. "You're real and I'm here!"
Though he probably couldn't understand me, it helped to get some validation by talking to him. I was beginning to accept the fact that I had somehow been sucked into a video game, no matter how crazy it was. Slowly but surely, I was beginning to accept my fate, and that the only way out was most likely by finishing the game.
Somehow, some way, I was going to get back home!
"Alright, buddy. Let's go," I said with new determination, heading towards the tunnel pathway that was ahead of us where I knew Trico would find some more barrels on top of the ledges with holes in them. I started forward at a quick pace. When I was a ways ahead of Trico, I turned to see if he was still following me...
Which he wasn't.
He was busy sniffing the chain that had held him captive, lightly pawing at the thing with his talons in a curious motion.
"Trico!" I called from my spot. He didn't budge, continuing to paw at the chain.
"Come!" I shouted. "Here, boy!" If he even was a boy. Most fans of the game didn't even know what gender he was, but I was sticking with a boy since the man had called him a "he" at some point in his narration, and also because he was referred to as a "he" and "him" in the achievement section where you could complete a variety of different tasks.
He still wouldn't budge. I frowned, frustration beginning to seep in. In the game, all I had to do was press a button to call him and he would come...most of the time. Now he had his own free will; he wouldn't bend to my every need so easily and even more extra patience would be required if I wanted to get through this.
"Treat! Barrels!" I shouted again to see if it would work. Trico rumbled, going about his business. If the words treat or barrels wouldn't work...maybe another word would? I had called the barrels by another name.
"Toothpaste!" I shouted once more. To my relief, Trico's attention was brought away from the chain and to the sound of my voice. So now he associated the word "toothpaste" with the barrels; great. I'd have to keep that in mind.
He stopped clawing at the chain, finally realizing that he seemed to be free. Once I was sure that he was following me, I turned around and made my way towards the end of the tunnel. The wall with the ledge came into view, and I saw the holes that had the barrels hidden away inside them. The blue butterflies that I knew so well fluttered this way and that among the grass, strongly attracted to the energy substance inside the barrels.
Thankfully, I didn't have to direct Trico to move next to the ledge so I could climb up him and onto that. He was already trying to get the barrels that sat on top, pawing at them like he had pawed at the chain. I took a handful of feathers and climbed up his body carefully as I could so I wouldn't fall until I was perched on the ledge. Trico's face was gigantic now that I was standing right in front of him. He eyed me curiously, his attention then turning towards the barrels that he couldn't reach without my help.
You really are just a giant cat, I thought in amusement. He was just so cute! He actually did manage to get one of the barrels to fall to the ground, and he chomped it up just as quickly as it had fallen. His action had made another barrel visible in the gap, so I bent down to grab it. Trico sniffed me, sitting down and waiting for me to toss it to him. The barrels were fairly light since all they had in them was the blue energy stuff, so I was able to simply drop it down to the grass below.
"Enjoy," I said, turning my own attention towards the gap that had white smoke coming out of it. There was a tunnel I knew I had to climb through, which I was reluctant to do. Me? Crawl through a tunnel? Who knew what was inside? Probably things like spiders, one of my worst fears...but I reminded myself that it was probably too cold for anything to be living inside of it.
Taking a deep breath, I got down onto my knees and started to crawl. It was dark inside save for the white smoke that filtered through, so it wasn't too bad. The hard, rocky surface hurt my arms and legs as I moved forward, but I couldn't turn back now. I had to get the mirror!
It seemed like forever before I was able to get up from my crawling form, reaching the crevice that I had to squeeze through. I was almost blinded by the blue, shining room that came into view at last. It was so bright like snow on the mountain when the sun hit!
And it was freezing in here! I was shivering like no tomorrow already, and I was surprised that I was able to see my breath in the form of small, white clouds as I breathed in and out nervously. I could see the circular pool ahead.
While the boy could have roamed endlessly inside until he had discovered the mirror, I knew I had to get out and fast—unless I wanted to die of hypothermia. Wasting no time, I ran to where the mirror was located on the body-shaped statue that was in a lying down position.
Now that I thought about it, where exactly was the boy if I was here in his place? Was he back in my apartment? I hoped he was alright if that was the case, and my second thought was that he better not touch any of my things!
It would probably be even more strange for him; getting tossed into an entirely different timeline. Everything would be just as foreign to him as it was to me. I didn't even know if that's really what happened! I had to concentrate on the task at hand before I thought of anything more that would only make my brain hurt worse.
I bent down to pick up the mirror from its spot in the circle, and it didn't illuminate right away when in was in my hands. Wait a second...just how was I going to activate it? I could no longer press a simple button to get it to shine wherever I needed it to; this was real life now, and I had to figure out a way to make it illuminate myself. There were no buttons anywhere except for the small handle that I could use to hold it.
But I was too cold in the shining blue room, so I would have to figure it out later. One step at a time...
I crawled back through the tunnel until I was outside with Trico. He had been resting, snoozing away the time I had been getting the mirror. Sluggishly, he got up on all fours.
Like I had expected, the mirror began to glow green, which instantly caught Trico's attention. His eyes flashed erratically in an assortment of different colors that ranged from pink to yellow to green. When they returned to normal, I also noticed that one of the tattoos on the back of my hand was...glowing?
Glowing white.
I couldn't remember that happening in the game...
What did it mean?