Chapter 4: Adapting
Taking in a deep breath, I sighed as I leaned back in my chair away from the holo-screen in the local library.
I managed to find it again after looking around aimlessly for thirty minutes trying to retrace my steps, and the moment I came in I headed straight for the computer and looked through it for hours.
I couldn't help but take a moment to process all the information I took in, all of the things I just learned from simple searches on their version of the internet, it's called a CCT network.
"Okay...okay…" I take another deep breath, I think the fact that I'm on another planet hit me harder this time.
Putting a hand on my forehead, I set my elbow down on the table, just staring at the pattern of the wood as if it would tell me something.
My eyes wandered over to where I set my phone.
"..." I picked it up, put in its password, and searched through the apps for something I felt would help.
It took a minute, but I found it, an app I hadn't used...
Voice memos.
"Excuse me sir" I looked up sluggishly at the librarian with pink hair tied into a bun, she held a book in her hands as she looked at me "We're almost at closing time"
I took a moment to process what she said "Oh...okay, I was just about done anyway" I responded as I slowly got out of my chair, slinging my backpack on.
"...are you okay sir?" The librarian asked in concern, I glanced at her, and read her name tag.
Violet.
It only reminds me of how the only names I've heard today are all color related "...yeah" I said slowly, starting to move away, but stopped and looked at her "Thanks for the concern, but I'll be fine" I told her calmly, keeping my voice steady.
"Alright then…" She sounded hesitant to leave it at that, it must be really evident how shaken I am. Gotta reign that in...somehow.
So I walked out of the library, walking through the mostly empty streets.
I brought my phone near my mouth and turned on Voice memos.
"Captain's log-No…" I grumbled, turning it off, and deleted the voice file "..." I turned it on again "Earthling's log-no" I stopped again and deleted it.
.
.
.
I brought it to my mouth again, and pressed play "Explorer's log" There we go, that sounded better "Date" I forced myself not to say 'stardat' "...August 14th; 2017; 10:01 p.m"
Taking a moment, I breathed in, and released "I decided to record this in light of my strange...predicament" That was underselling it by a longshot "Considering this might be the greatest moment in human space exploration since the moon landing, recording my experiences here would be helpful...and it also gives me a chance to collect my thoughts"
Walking through the sidewalk, see the broken tower in the distance, and continued "What I'm about to say is gonna sound crazy... but, I'm on another planet"
I walked on, seeing the park in the distance.
"I'm not sure how, or why, I was just getting my stuff ready to go camping and then…" A blank, and then a flash of light "A flash of bright light, and I was dropped into some sort of warehouse filled with terrorists"
I see the park sign as I walked closer, the cut on my leg pulsed a bit, but I ignored it.
"But the stranger thing was, they weren't human" I continued "I mean-they looked human, at first glance, but if you take a closer look, they had extra appendages, like cat ears or deer antlers...their called faunus"
"I managed to escape after a chase through town and dropping a water tower on one of their big guys, long story short, he had a chainsaw and I goaded him into cutting the support of the tower, and it fell on top of him" I explained, somehow it felt carthric...just talking about it aloud, hearing myself say the words, disbelieving yet knowing that they were true.
Walking past the sign, I entered the park "I ran away before the police could see me-yes, they have police here-and I saw that they looked human, no animal appendages...I wasn't sure what they were at the time, the faunus, and it was only after I escaped and went to a park that I found out that I wasn't on Earth anymore¨
I stopped at the bench, and looked up to see it getting dark...and the moon was coming up, a gentle blue light radiating off it...
"I saw that the moon was...shattered, that's the best way I can describe it...it was broken up into pieces, still in orbit" I looked up at said moon "I admittedly had a mental breakdown, and just...screamed, I was so confused on what was happening, and after being shot at not even ten minutes before, I just...couldn't take the absurdity anymore"
It felt like I was talking about someone else, but I knew clearly that it was me who went through all that.
But...maybe its because it doesn't feel real-no, that it shouldn't be real.
Part of me is still catching up, you don't just get sent to another planet...it's not...this situation...it is just so unlikely, and downright impossible that it is hard to believe, even when the evidence is staring at me right in the face.
Even when I'm hearing, smelling, seeing, tasting, and feeling that evidence I can't fully bring myself to accept this. Because it doesn't make any fucking sense.
But reality is reality, and I don't make a hissy fit every time I don't understand it.
Swallowing my frustration, I continued "Afterwards I fell asleep on a park bench" I sat down on said bench, setting my backpack down by me "When I had woke up, I was processing what happened to me, and trying to figure out what to do next, such as finding a job and a place to live"
I paused at what I was about to say next "And then I met someone, a local" I thought for a moment on how much I should say "Her name is Ruby Rose, I won't go into details for privacy reasons, but suffice to say she was going through a rough time and I helped her out, she ended up showing me around town"
"The place I'm in is an island called Patch, on a planet called Remnant" I said, I glanced around for a moment in a sudden spike of paranoia, no one was here "And...they are so similar to us, that I often got caught up in it and acted like it was just a regular day. They have buildings, advertisements, everything was so...human, yet they weren't- at least, not completely like us"
"There are differences, the faunus being a major one of them, they are a second sentient race among the humans of Remnant with-anime fans will go crazy with this- animal ears, they are often mistreated...kinda like African Americans fifty years back in the United States, and apparently the terrorists that attacked me are part of an organization called the 'White Fang', who strive to use force to make humans respect them as equals or superiors, I'm not sure which one, but I'm leaning towards the ladder"
I paused for a moment, unsure of what to say next, and then decided to go with everything I learned in the library "Most of the information I have I got from a local library-and I'm not even gonna get into the fact that they speak English and have it as a written language, there's so much to cover as it is so I'm just gonna put a pin on it...until I can find a reasonable explanation for why, which probably won't be any time soon"
Considering all that's happened, that question is on the very low-priority section of the list.
I took a breath, as this was gonna be a bit long-winded "This is the planet Remnant, it has twenty-four hours in a day, twelve months in a year, and one shattered moon in orbit...so it's very similar to Earth"
"Humans and faunus have lived here for as long as they can remember, pre-recorded history dating back ten thousand years-although much has been lost in that time, they apparently didn't document it as well as we did ours for various reasons"
And it went on like that, I spoke into my phone, going over everything I had learned: Remnant, humans, faunus, dust, etc.
Dust was an important one, I had learned a bit more about it, and it was...baffling
"Dust is this planet's natural resource, and its...I dunno how to describe it, magic?" I snorted "Well, I'm not sure what it is, and apparently neither does the planet's inhabitance...what kind of people don't know how their own power source works? All of the different types of dust are of an element like in Greek mythology or fantasy: Earth, water, fire, wind, and all that...then apparently there is stuff like "Gravity dust" and such, there are hundreds of types, and they use them all for everyday life, from the concrete to powering their homes"
I had looked up so much information in the library, and what would have been common sense for someone around here, it was a treasure trove of knowledge for me. It was so...fascinating. A whole new world, a whole different history, people, technology, and culture.
My inner childhood was tap-dancing in glee, but the logical part of me is wary. Luckily there don't seem to be any crazy laws or cultural differences that will get me killed...from what I've read so far anyway.
Sighing again, I decided to finish this voice log that was already too long.
"...I dunno why or how I got here...I'm lost on some strange planet that seems so similar yet so different to my own...but…"
My back stood straighter, I kept the phone right in front of my face as I stared up at the shattered moon.
Something inside me refused this reality, the downright impossibility of just going home.
"I'm not just gonna lay down and accept this, I have a home, a family, a life…"
Mom, Dad, my brother and sisters, my pets, my house, my home….
I glared at the sky, at whatever ripped me from my world and brought me here, my voice grew more steady and powerful with each word.
Standing up, I continued to glare at the moon "I promise this to myself" I took a deep breath, and shouted to the heavens.
"If there's a way here! There's a way back! I'll find my way back home no matter what!"
End log.
Sadly the small part of me that was still hopeful that this was all a dream was utterly crushed and shit-stomped on once again when I woke up on a bench in the park for the second time in a row.
It occurred to me once again that I really need a place to live, but first, I need to get a job.
And since I slept two nights in a row on a bench in the park, I don't exactly look my best.
"Ugh…" I groaned as I walked over to the public bathroom in the park, cracking my back, it was killing me.
'That's what I get for sleeping on the bench, why the fuck didn't I just go to a hotel!?' I thought to myself '...because I have no idea if they would take me' I reminded myself bitterly.
In the United States, people who are under eighteen are usually unable to book a room at a hotel, and I might need an I.D.
While I doubt that all hotels check for I.D., I'm not entirely sure if I could pass for eighteen. I'm five-foot-eleven, so I could make it height-wise, but anything else?
I couldn't be sure, but I might just test it out later to see if I can get in one because my back is protesting the labor I'm putting it through.
The worst that could happen is that I get kicked out, and I have to sleep on the bench again. Not much to lose.
So yeah, I'll check that out later. But first, I need to wash up.
Walking inside the public restroom, I went to the sink and turned on the cold water, splashing it on my face.
Looking in the mirror I could see how greasy my brown hair is along with the bedhead, my hazel eyes narrowed back at me in the mirror, making it look like their color changed to a dark brown.
"...ugh" I groaned as I got to work, dipping my hands in water and soap, and combing it through my greasy hair.
Nobody is gonna take an employee who looks unclean and irresponsible, so I need to at least look the part and clean myself up.
It feels a bit degrading doing this at a sink, but I'm not so spoiled that I don't see what I need to do it. Pride can take a backseat for now, and logic takes the wheel, with humility in the passenger seat.
Holding my head down to the sink, I splashed water on my head, shivering a bit for a moment at the cold water before adjusting it to be warmer 'What was that place called? Patch Delight? Yeah, they are hiring'
Lowering my backpack to the ground, I opened it up for some new clothes, my current attire is sweaty and dirty, with a hint of blood, not exactly desirable for a working environment.
Taking off my shirt, I paused as I looked at my arms. They were covered in scratches and bruises…
My eyes drifted to the mirror, staring back at myself with a few cuts and small bruises on my torso near my abs-probably from when I slammed into that building and tripped over a ledge. I looked like a tough delinquent.
"..." I glared at it for a moment, my arms was where I took the most hits from. I don't think they need any treatment, none of them were bleeding.
I checked my leg to get a look at its wound. It seemed to be healing well, thankfully not infected.
"Should probably wear a long sleeve, cover the scratches on my arms…" My jacket is a bit dusty, so I should probably wear something else.
Holding up said jacket, I looked it over carefully. It was mainly black, white stripes along the zipper line and down the sleeves, the inner collar was orange, and it had an orange Starfleet command insignia on the left side.
"...what would they do?" I questioned myself quietly, staring at the symbol as if expecting it to answer.
I know it's stupid to think about a TV series on how to survive, but let's be honest, I got nothing else to turn to.
...and I idolized those shows. I watched Star Trek since I was eight, and right now I certainly feel like I'm in an episode of one of those shows.
What would a Starfleet officer do?
"There is always another way, we just have to find it"
If there's a way here, there's a way back. I have the mindset of a scientist, whatever happened, a natural or artificial phenomenon, there may be a possibility of reversing it.
How to do so, I have no idea. But after I get myself situated with a place to sleep and food on the table, I won't let it stay that way.
I will figure this out, one way or another. It might not be today, or tomorrow, or even next year, but I will.
So with that thought steeling my resolve, I pulled out a new set of clothes and put my jacket in my backpack, and then proceeded to wipe my armpits with the soap before drying and changing…
Ready to look my best and get myself a job.
Walking out of the public restroom, I wiped off my hair a bit more with a big batch of paper towels, my backpack hanging by my shoulders as I wore a blue long-sleeved shirt and a pair of black sweatpants.
"Alright" I tossed the paper towels in a nearby garbage bin "Time to get a job"
I'm not new to working, I have worked part-time before at a tree planting job. I mostly did yard work and...well...tree planting. But it wasn't a permanent position, and it didn't last long. Then I worked at a restaurant that paid well for a while, until I stopped getting hours that is. The owner of the restaurant apparently thought I had offended her somehow, even though I had barely ever spoken to her and always greeted her courteously…
So I do have experience in working at a food establishment, but I can't exactly give a reference to them...so I'll have to hope they won't need one.
After letting my hair dry for a bit longer, I headed out of the park. It's around 11:00 a.m. if I'm not mistaken, so most restaurants are likely to be open by now.
I looked ahead as I walked down the sidewalks "There it is" I spotted it nearby, the sign above the entrance saying 'Patch Delight'.
"Help Wanted!"
The poster is still there, good.
I stopped in front of the door, looking through the window to see not a lot of people was there, perfect opportunity to ask about the job position 'Alright Drake…gonna try to get a job in another world...yeah' I took a deep breath, released, and then pushed the door to head inside.
"Hello sir, how can I help you?"
I was immediately greeted by a girl with green hair and blue eyes at the register who looked around my age, her tied up in a chinese bun and a greeting smile for the customers plastered on her face. My eyes briefly glanced to her name tag attached to her uniform.
'Olive, huh? Another color name, maybe I should look it up later...'
"Um, I saw the sign outside that you have a job opening" I pointed out to said door "I'm here to see about getting a job"
Her eyes visibly widened, and then she smiled as if she got a nice surprise "Really? That's great! I'll go get the manager" She then moved away and through the door to the back of the restaurant.
'That...was a bit weird' I thought to myself as I stared at where the girl was before, it was a bit strange how happy she looked that someone came to take the job.
'Are they understaffed?' My eyes roamed the place to find something to confirm it. The restaurant, while it wasn't small, was definitely not the largest either, I'd say it could hold up to forty-fifty people at maximum.
'Now that I think about it, it did take a while for me and Ruby to get our food yesterday…'
"-omeone wants a job?" I immediately snapped my attention to the door opening, and coming out was the same woman and an older man in his thirties with slick dark red hair and sharp green eyes, I saw the manager tag on the upper left side of his uniform.
'Is everyone here so... colorful?' I found myself thinking, remembering the people I've seen so far.
"Yep! Here he is…" The girl looked to me as she gestured to the older man "This is our manager, he's the one you wanna talk to"
Said older man looked me up and down for a quick moment with an analytical gaze, but then put out his hand "Jett Auburn" He introduced himself.
'Another color name' I noted as I returned the handshake "Drake Joseph, nice to meet you" I greeted back with a quick smile.
"So you want a job here?" I opened my mouth-"Don't answer that, just come sit with me in the booth"
I blinked slowly at his apparent bluntness, but numbly followed him 'Okay…'
The manager sat down and set his arms on the table, I sat on the opposite end of him.
"Alright, here's the deal" He spoke seriously and quickly "I'm gonna ask you some questions, you answer them, and at the end of it I'll decide if your hired"
"...I understand" I said after a moment 'This guy doesn't fuck around' This was definitely different from how my other interviews went, usually I'd have to send in an application or something first…
"Alright then" He clapped to himself "First question: Why do you want the job?"
I took a moment to consider how to answer this "...well, I came to Patch recently, and I need money to help pay for food and expenses"
He looked confused, raising an eyebrow "No parents?"
"No, they didn't come with me" I said simply, but the mention of my parents did bring up a question. 'How are they?' I thought to myself 'Are they worried? Are they looking for me right now?'
'Stop it!' I told myself sternly, thinking about that right now isn't helping at all. I'll worry about that when its not the most inconvenient time to worry.
"...I won't ask" He said, sounding impatient as he rubbed his nose "Second question: Do you have any experience in the food industry?"
This one I was ready for "Yes, I worked in a fast food joint, doing cleaning, cooking, manning the register, and other sorts of things, but I've never been a waiter"
"Hmm...alright" He hummed, seeming to take it into consideration "Last question: When are you available"
"Pretty much any time" I answered easily. Not having school or anything, I am pretty much available for whatever hours he would need me for.
The manager looked at me curiously, somewhat surprised "Any time? No school?"
"I was homeschooled" This was a good excuse for not registering into any schools and being free for whatever work hours to take.
"I see...alright then, your hired"
.
.
.
'Eh?'
"I'm hired?" I questioned, a little dumbfounded.
"Yes, your hired" He puts out his hand "Nice to meet you Drake, welcome to Patch Delight, we can go over later about how you will be paid after I get out the needed paperwork"
I blinked slowly, then shook his hand. I know he was gonna decide if I was gonna be hired after the questions but...I thought he was gonna say 'Come back tomorrow, and I'll tell you if your hired' or something.
That seemed way too easy.
"Yeah, your probably a bit confused" The manager sighed "Normally I would take a bit more time to interview someone, ask for some references to call and make sure you really do have experience, but to be honest, we need more employees"
'So they do have a shortage' I glanced back out to the other tables 'That makes it a bit easier for me, but then again, that means it will probably be difficult to work here with it being short of hands'
"Not a lot of people in this part of Patch work in the food industry, a fourth of the population is that of retired huntsmen, and their kids don't exactly see being a waiter as a 'glorious' job, rather focus on their 'training'" He chuckled at some inside joke I wasn't let in on.
But if I had to guess, a huntsman is supposed to be a defender of humanity. From what I've read, the job of a huntsman is very glorified, told as people who are legends and heroes.
I literally cringed back when I read the propaganda.
Having the job of a waiter doesn't sound nearly as exciting, and kids being kids, just scoff at it as 'beneath' them.
"Oh" The manager spoke up again as if remembering something "Well, this isn't necessary, but I figured I'd ask: Do you know how to fight?"
'...huh?' Now this one threw me for a loop, I never would have expected that question "Why do you ask?"
He shrugged "It's not something that happens often, but sometimes the Signal customers can be...rowdy, they're kids, and sometimes they'll start fights, so it would be nice to have someone else on hand who could throw them out so to speak" He pointed behind him towards the desk.
I followed the line of sight he pointed at, and saw the green-haired girl from earlier "Take Olive, for example, she's one of the few people from Signal who didn't mind working here, and she knows how to fight well so she can kick some hooligans out if it gets out of hand"
That...makes sense. Give a bunch of hormonal and stupid teenagers a bunch of power and expect it to never get out of hand? Yeah, when pigs start flying I might believe you, with 'might' being the keyword.
"So" He continued "Do you know how to fight?"
'Do I know how to fight?' I suppose that's a good question.
Most of what I learned was self-taught, except for when I learned karate when I was younger, but that was only for a year.
Everything else came about because I felt that I needed to learn how to, or at least be prepared to fight if someone decided to pick one with me...and of course, they did.
Through online searching, practice, and, in some cases, experimentation, I learned how to hit someone's weak spots, put them in various joint locks, dodge quickly, and throw good punches at just the right spot to take someone down.
I also learned about pressure points in the human body, and it was part of the reason I learned how to knock out that White Fang back at the warehouse from his collarbone. I never actually expected to use it practically, it was just something I looked up because it was like the Vulcan nerve pinch.
A lot of self-defense techniques came into play too, like how to disarm someone, escape from a chokehold, and other such things. I didn't fuck around with that sort of stuff, I learned that because my neighborhood, while not crime-infested or anything, wasn't always the most friendly.
Hell, one time some kids tried to gang up on me in the school. I beat the shit out of those kids, smashed open lockers into their faces and everything-
Oh, yeah, I also threw away the idea of fighting 'fair'.
But does all that make me a good fighter? I'd like to think so, but considering now that I'm in a place where teenagers can have superpowers... I shouldn't be cocky.
The manager seemed to wait a little impatiently as I considered all this in my head.
"...I've never been fully formally trained" I finally answered "But I do know how to hold my own, I'm not a stranger to some guys picking a fight, so I'd say I'm a pretty good fighter, but you might want to rely on your other co-worker for the tougher guys"
That seemed like the most honest answer I could give, even back home I was fairly certain that people with more formal training could give me a run for my money. I don't think I'm weak, definitely not, but it's not like I'm the toughest guy around either.
While I did do well against the White Fang, from what I've read they are mostly filled with civilians with basic training at best. And if I had faced that chainsaw guy head-on I would have died easily, no question.
The manager stared at me "Huh, an honest answer…" He smiled "I like you already" He turned his head over towards the counter "Olive! Help get this man a uniform and show him the ropes! I got some paperwork to fill out!"
The girl gave a salute "Yes sir!"
He narrowed his eyes at her "And stop acting like we're the Atlesian military or I'll cut your pay" She immediately dropped her hand, eyes a little panicked at the threat.
And so I started my job at Patch Delight.
I do not have good experience with on-the-job training.
In my last job there was rarely any time to actually help me memorize what I needed to, and I just sort of followed along and tried my best with minimal help from the rest of my co-workers.
Did I blame them? No, I blamed how unorganized the whole system was.
But it seems like this time around it was better, Olive was pretty good at explaining things to me and how everything worked around here, where it all was, and what I would be doing, and how I can clock in and out.
It was a breath of fresh air...until the customers started really rolling in.
It was exhausting, because of how short-handed this place actually is. There was a lot to do, and a lot to still figure out.
There were no rowdy customers-well, not rowdy to the point of it turning into a fight-but it was very tiring, just one job to the next in quick succession.
"Drake, over here!"
"Dishes Drake!"
"Customer over there Drake!"
By the time my shift was over, I sat down in a booth after clocking out, letting out a huge sigh of relief from all the standing and walking for six hours straight.
'I...finally understand, mother, father...' They told me that being a waiter was a very tiring job, and I believed them.
But holy shit I didn't think it was this bad. Perhaps I'm overexaggerating but people are fucking horrible. Constantly trying to contradict themselves on their orders, leaving the littlest tips...
I did my best, kept smiling, and said 'Yes sir/mam!' and 'I'll have your order soon sir/mam!', all while my head was giving me a damn migraine from that stupid sudden knowledge thing that keeps popping up randomly.
I'm just glad it's over.
"Good job today!" I barely turned my head to see that Olive had taken the seat across from me "You did pretty well for your first day, should've seen me...hehe..." She chuckled at something I had no idea of.
"Anyway, thanks for the help, you did well today and I look forward to working with you" She put out her hand.
'Great, more social interaction' I thought sarcastically, but I did gratefully shake her hand, I appreciated the time and effort she took to show me the ropes "Its nice to meet you too, I'll do my best"
"Good!" She said cheerfully, standing up "My shift is over too, so I'm heading home"
'...home, huh?' That must be nice.
"Thanks for the help" I said as I stood up as well "I gotta go pick up my schedule and head home as well" I felt a pang in my heart as I said that, knowing that won't be for a while yet.
But I'll get there, I have to believe that.
'Ow...' I thought in annoyance at the pain in my legs as I walked down the sidewalk.
Apparently walking and standing for six hours straight when your legs were still sore and recovering from the last time you pushed them to the max is a bad idea.
It wasn't excruciating, but it certainly wasn't pleasant either.
"-did you hear about what happened on the train?" I heard some people talk as I walked by them "The White Fang stole another shipment from the Schnee Dust Company-"
My head was immediately bombarded with a headache 'The Schnee Dust Company: The World's leading industry on all Dust, run by the Schnee family passed down from generation to generation by the family legacy'
'Would you fucking NOT!?' I held my hand against my right temple, the sudden knowledge popping up and giving me a damn migraine.
It's been going non-stop all day, ever since I started serving people over at Patch Delight it goes off when there's someone who says some piece of information about this world I don't know about.
It made it even more difficult on top of the fact that I was already having trouble with the workload, and the more it activated the more I started to get headaches. It was so fucking sudden and invasive at random moments that I don't think I internalized all it was trying to give me.
'Fuck, my head hurts...my legs hurt...this sucks' I sighed, I glanced around the buildings trying to spot a hotel or something, but I can't seem to find anything.
'Damn it, if only I could buy a map or something, but I have no idea where I would get them, I might have to ask around-wait' I paused for a moment.
What if I just...tried to get that information from that...what do I call it?
Remnant Knowledge. It's as fitting as a name as I'll get 'What if I just used the Remnant Knowledge to find a hotel or something?'
Can I actually do that? To just will it to give me specific information?
I never thought about it, but then again, I was never sure what the hell it was, and still don't 'It's kind've a long shot, but I don't see why I can't try'
I move into an alleyway, away from prying eyes, and proceed to lay back against a wall "Okay...how to do this..." I muttered to myself.
'I...need to find a hotel, where can I find one?' I tried to simply ask it mentally, see if anything would come up.
.
.
.
That didn't work.
'Maybe...something less specific?'
I squinted, trying to force it 'Hotel! Hotel!'
.
.
.
Nothing.
"Ugh..." I groaned in frustration "Maybe I need to say something aloud?" I muttered to myself, looking around to make sure no one hears me.
There were a few people walking by, and waited until they were a good distance away before speaking in a normal voice "I need to find a hotel" I said out loud.
.
.
.
Still nothing.
'Oh my-can anything go my fucking way!?' I was close to punching the wall in frustration, feeling stupid doing all of this, but I take a deep breath through my nose and out my mouth to calm myself 'Calm down, you knew it was a long shot...'
I sighed tiredly...then an idea came to mind 'Wait, what if I'm...going about it wrong? I'm using thoughts and ideas to try to get it to work...but what if it works by feelings?'
Not necessarily emotions, but...like how it felt when the Remnant Knowledge did its work, the feeling of already knowing what something was.
'...this is the last time I'll try for now, this is a big "if" anyway, it's not like I understand what the fuck it is in the first place'
And I wasn't even entirely sure how to go about replicating that 'feeling'. Remembering it?
Having nothing to lose, I took a slow, calming, breath as I closed my eyes.
'Remember that feeling...' I tried to think back to when I first felt it, in front of that ice cream vendor, telling me what that girl liked.
Sudden...
It was frightening at first, how it came out of nowhere...yet...
Natural...
It didn't feel wrong either, it was invasive, yes, but it didn't feel forced...
Always there...
I felt like it was always there, that I had it for years, as if I learned the same things these people did, lived and learned the same things they did...
Never there...
But I didn't, I know I didn't learn these things, yet there it is, it didn't make sense, it didn't come from anything I did, it was...
Knowledge.
Something is happening, I can feel it.
I think it's working!
I have to hold onto this feeling, but I'm not sure what to do with it, it's like some sort of...connection, to something else, but I'm not sure what that something else is.
Search for it? Do I just search for the information? Ask it?
'...I need to find a hotel, on Patch' I thought to myself, focusing on that thought and the connection-
Pain.
"AH!"
I held my head as my senses overloaded, a dizzying sensation rippled through my mind and it felt like my brain was on fire 'Fuck! Fuck it hurts!' My vision felt blurry, my head is hurting...twice over? My senses are all over the place, I can't understand anything! It hurts!
My brain feels like its fucking melting! Why does it hurt!? I don't know where I am! I can't feel anything but the pain in my head! Make it stop!
Stop!
STOP!
And just as suddenly as it came, it went away.
I slumped against the wall, the pain was finally gone "Ha...ha..." I breathed slowly in shock, still holding my head, my vision was blurry but it was quickly clearing up...
"Holy shit..." My ears are ringing, I can't smell, and my skin feels tingly...
It was all starting to calm down though, going back to normal...
.
.
.
I took a deep breath as all my senses settled after a full minute of trying to gather my bearings, I noticed that my heart was racing-how did I not notice that?
'Holy shit that was horrible...and it left behind an even bigger headache than before' I suppressed a groan, gritting my teeth as I rubbed my temples in a vain effort to soothe it.
My brain felt like it was on fucking fire, I never want to feel that again...
'I had no idea it was gonna do that, holy shit what even happened? I'm never doing that again, I didn't even get information on where to find a hotel that is down the street, to the left, then a right, and has a big sign saying "IVORY HOTEL" in the front'
Not only was it painful, but it was also a huge waste of time-
"Wait, what?" I questioned quietly, stopping to process the information that I know I never learned 'Ivory...hotel?'
.
.
.
Pushing myself off the wall after letting that thought settle in, I walked out of the alleyway and followed the directions I got, walking down the street, to the left, and then made a right...
"A big sign that says 'Ivory Hotel'..." I muttered, looking up at said sign across the street, large letters greeting me in bright blue lights as the day turned to night.
It was easier to get a hotel room than I thought it would be, and that would be because Remnant's social security is essentially shit.
Okay, maybe that's a little harsh, but it's still not good.
Essentially, there is a problem with the fact that not everyone has been documented since birth, being from outside the Kingdoms born in villages or from the Kingdom of Vacuo-which is basically a lawless wasteland, yet ironically is said to be more peaceful than other Kingdoms.
And since it would cause huge problems to just refuse anyone who didn't have that paperwork because of something that was not their fault, it leaves a bit of a hole in the legal system.
And I abused the shit out of it, naturally.
Now, you can sign up for some identification papers, and I will need that if I'm planning to do anything long-term in the Kingdoms, so I'll have to see about visiting this place's equivalent of a state office soon.
"Here you go sir" The lady at the counter handed me a key chain with the room number on it "Everything is in order, and I hope you enjoy your stay here at Ivory Hotel"
"Thank you" I said in response, and went on my way to find my room, adjusting the straps of my backpack, it felt a little heavier with the work uniform put in there.
It wasn't a big hotel, so I didn't have to walk too far "Room forty-three...there" I spotted the door with the number plaque on it, and proceeded to walk over and unlock the door.
The room was nice, but simple: One bed, a TV, a desk, and a bathroom.
But I found myself mostly focusing on the bed as I closed the door behind me.
"..." I tossed my backpack to the ground and flopped onto it "Ohhh...I will never take you for granted ever again" I mumbled into the oh-so-comfortable bed sheets.
I rolled my body over, and I immediately felt the tension leave my back "My back agrees" I chuckled a little at my own joke.
I finally have a proper place to sleep in this world.
'Well...I still need to find an apartment to live in' I think to myself, my new job is paid weekly, and my paycheck is given to me on a Sunday, so by the time I'm done here, along with any tips I might get, I should have enough money to rent an apartment. Although I'll probably have to wait until the second week for my regular paycheck, most workplaces give money a week behind to make sure there's enough time to transfer funds.
I should have enough money for food if I spend it wisely, and I could eat any extras in the kitchen at Patch Delight if it comes to it.
If I do it right, I can get by smoothly and quietly until I find an apartment.
"...my universe I am tired" I sighed, rubbing my face, glancing out from my fingers to see a washing machine in the corner.
'I really don't wanna get up...but I should really wash my clothes...and take a shower'
But I really didn't want to get up at the moment, so I stared at the ceiling for a bit, pondering a question that I'd been thinking about since I learned about the hotel from the Remnant Knowledge.
I was able to use it for that...could I...?
'...why am I going through this?'
.
.
.
"...heh, nothing huh?" I questioned after waiting for a few moments, the Remnant Knowledge is not responding at all "Maybe I should try it again..."
I really don't want to go through that utter confusion and pain a second time, but if I could get some fucking idea of why I'm here from it...
I closed my eyes.
I remembered the feeling of knowing.
The connection was fainter this time, but it's still there...I swallowed nervously, expecting pain, but asked away anyway.
'Why am I on Remnant?'
.
.
.
Nothing.
There was nothing. No pain, no answers, nothing.
"...Why am I on Remnant?" I asked aloud this time, frustrated.
Nothing. I'm still holding onto the feeling, but nothing.
I ground my teeth in frustration, feeling angry and my fists clenching around the sheets of the bed, crumbling the sheets in my grip "How do I get back home?!" I exclaimed, desperate for any scrap of info I could get.
Nothing.
Not even a hint, it's as if it didn't know itself.
But that thought makes me even angrier 'How could you possibly not know!? Aren't you the reason I'm here!?' It's the only thing that makes sense, I show up on this planet, and this thing in my head tells me how things work around here!
The connection was slipping, it was as if it was becoming more guarded.
I sat up straight, trying to focus and keep it up "No! You're giving me fucking answers damn it!" I shouted, willing it to come back, wrapping my mind around that connection "ANSWER ME!" I shouted.
I feel a sudden migraine coming on, I shook my head, it was slipping...!
Bam! Bam! "Hey! Keep it down in there!" Someone shouted outside my door.
It was gone.
"Ugh...!" I let my head hit the pillow, my vision was a little blurry "Damn it..." My head felt horrible.
But I waited, seeing if I gained something from that...
.
.
.
Nothing.
I didn't get anything except for a bigger headache.
Captaindrake123: I hope you all had a great 4th of July, mine was pretty good all things considered, just lit off some home fireworks with my family. I planned to have this done on the fourth actually, but...y'know, life, work, that stuff.
But anyway, Drake now has a job and a place to sleep (that isn't a bench), and he's learned that he can actually force some information out of that mysterious force in his head, but not without getting himself into a lot of pain. Poor guy, he just wants answers...
I'm glad that most of you seem to be enjoying this story so far, stay tuned for the next chapter!
But in the meantime...
Omake: Alien Hunting
Ruby Rose walked through the streets aimlessly, glancing around the area "...no..." She muttered to herself quietly, not finding what she was looking for.
It had been a few days since the...'incident' as she called it, and Ruby realized that she never got Drake's scroll number, thus making her promise to herself to see him again sound hollow.
'Ugh, where is he?' She questioned in her head in frustration 'I feel like an idiot looking around like this, but I checked the spots we went to and he wasn't there...'
She couldn't ask anyone at Signal if they knew him even if she wanted to since he isn't enrolled there.
And she didn't know where he lived...
This was starting to sound like a pointless endeavor.
Yang and her dad won't be expecting her back until eight, leaving her plenty of time to search for the boy who helped her, something she had been wanting to do for a while.
...and she kinda wanted to get away from them for a bit-not that she didn't love them! But...Yang started asking questions about not seeing her hang out with her usual group, and when Ruby evaded them they both started getting suspicious.
She didn't want them to know, not yet, her dad would just baby her and Yang would beat them up, which would make things worse in the long run.
'I really don't need that right now...' She sighed, Ruby would rather look around aimlessly looking for Drake all day than deal with Yang questioning her 'If I were Drake, where would I go?'
She didn't know that much about him, other than that he went through something similar to her, he liked weapons (which was a bonus!), and was pretty smart.
'I checked the comic book store, Azure didn't see him...' her head lowered sullenly 'Ugh, it's hopeless, the one person who actually liked hanging out with me and I can't find him because I didn't get his number or even asked where he lived!'
Her stomach grumbled.
"...maybe a little food would help" She muttered, catching a glimpse of the sign for 'Patch Delight' "Maybe I can think of more places on a full stomach"