Chapter 1
When you get caught, don't fall for the good cop-bad cop play
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Hey. *small smile* Are you with me, Reader-san? It's been a while since we last talked. How have you been? Well…? I really, really hope you did since we're in a bit of a situation here... No, I'm not talking about me getting trapped and hanging upside down from a branch… Although, I guess, it is kind of a problem on the long run… *long sigh*
You remember those three idiots from last week? The ones on which I, your romantic yet slightly sadistic narrator, played a bit of a prank?
It was just little over 3 a.m. of the very next day when I suddenly woke up and realized what I have done. I- I have allowed mortals to play Match-Up game in my Story note.
So what?
So what? The right question is 'WHY OH GODS OF OLD AND NEW HAD THIS DISASTER FALL UPON US' with multiple question and exclamation marks following suit. Go ahead, call me a drama queen, but you do not understand. And how could you possibly grasp the seriousness of this mess, since Reader-san is, after all, a mortal.
I shall then humor you and explain.
Story note is a very precious item that grants its owner, the Narrator - often called Non-writer by professionals of that craft - unimaginable amount of power. It is said that an exceptionally skilled user could, with determination and patience, gather a power so strong it could rival G-*beep* Spirit Bomb.
I, personally, do not know if this is true or not, since I've never met a Non-writer like that. Actually, no one I know met one, and nobody they knew had ever met one, so I can only assume that it's all but a myth.
When I was younger, I strongly believed in them, in those Narrators that could save the world with words, accumulated from everything good in this world. I believed I could find one, or become one and strive to inspire younger generations... I don't know when or why I stopped. Maybe I just grew up, going with the flow, too numb from dullness of the world to care if a dream died. It was buried deep in my mind and - be it to my pride or hardheadedness - I had not often thought about revisiting that particular grave. Past was for the past, as were ashes to ashes and dust to dust.
I still had my Story note, though. After you become one, you never actually stop being a Narrator or lose your note. Think of it as if the video you watch on-line that is buffering. You just sit and wait, and wait, and wait until the video starts playing again. It's actually quite funny how easily you get pulled right back into that storyteller mode.
I mean, just look at me! All I wanted was to learn and grow through experiences made by the help of new acquaintance. Instead, I just rumbled on and on, talking about G, S and A, what they did and-
Okay, that was a lie. I wanted to talk to somebody and confirm if I was still here. There, I said it! Happy? Tsk.
ZEUS SMITE IT.
THE GIRLS.
I lost myself for a bit there, yet again. *frown* So... When I realized that the notebook they wrote in was the wrong one, I facepalmed, headwalled and footstomped screaming up to heavens, all the while holding two identical notebooks. Too late did I realize that Dream note, the one I borrowed from Morpheus when his business went from analog to digital, was a dash more purple then my custom-made amateur-only Story note.
Desperate as I may be for some entertainment, I'd never - and I'll repeat - NEVER abuse the power bestowed upon me. Or would I risk it over a few giggles.
Aaah~ All I planned was for them to have a series of extremely embarrassing dreams, and not to... Not to... Oh, in the name of *beep* -mon's pocket, I didn't mean to trap them in other stories!
...Because that is what happens when you write in the Story note - the writer gets trapped in his own story. One can't get out, not until he/she wrote down one finished whole, or put down a 'con end', that three word promise that it shall continue when the time comes. Sometimes that 'to be continued' time never came, but at least the Narrator was free of its clutches, the story he (or she) told now tame and unable to harm them in any way.
In this situation, though... It's just too different from anything I had ever encountered before. There were cases of stolen notebooks, shared notebooks, even borrowed, sold and destroyed, but never one about the Note being used without one's knowledge-
There were a few mishaps with the Note. Like, for example, in the last decades of 19th century there was this guy that wrote down a phone number of a business firm he made a deal with on the torn cover of his Story note, and ended up being forced to write the contacts of all business's in the country. Lucky bastard, he was, since the number of companies didn't exceed sixty.
There was also a similar case in England, 30-something years later, that forced a married couple to gather up all of the telephone numbers in town. Bothersome, but necessary since the husband – the owner of the note – really cared for his wife, and wanted her back. Plus, there was also a big problem with the rumors of the 'telephone ghost' haunting the lines, whispering for someone to save her from the dark.
I know of these cases since I've pulled an all-nighter chatting up with other Narrators all over the globe discreetly trying to find out what kind of consequences my thoughtlessness could lead to. Thanks to the technology of this day and age, I was successful in finding many of my kind - and luckily - get some answers.
Problem #1: Story note is in my ownership and I am its Narrator, but other people had written in it.
That just meant that the other party had no idea what happened to them, or how to come back to real world. Also, since they had no notebook of their own, I had to be the one to 'narrate' their way out of the story. Their lives had practically been on-hold for the last 7 days, that is, from the moment the Note activated, hour or so after the game was over, to just about the moment I stumble upon them in this world. Which has not yet happened, and seems it won't soon since my hands are tied. Okay, more like feet to a tree branch, but let's not be too literal.
Problem #2: The notebook did what its purpose was; it trapped the writer - in this case G, S and A - in the story, or better say 'game' they played.
The game in question was a carefully inserted idea I put in S's mind, and not a game at all; it was the criteria of the Morpheus's Dream note. To indicate a dream, one must write the name of a person, animal or place, then name an object that would leave the strongest impression on the dreamer, and last, but not least, put down a verb… And the girls did just that. More than 20 times. *beep* me.
Problem #3: Following the rules of Story note will assure the safe return of all parties, but exceptions can be made if the owner is willing to make some risks.
I had no other choice; I was responsible for those girls getting here in the first place, and I've set my mind on doing what had to be done just to get them out. That's why it took me so long to get here – I had to prepare for anything this 'story' could throw at-
The risk? Isn't it obvious (?!) or do I have to draw it all out for you to get it in that thi-
"Who are you?"
Wait a sec, dear, I just have to doodle my situation down for this- EH?!
"You heard me. Answer."
Waitwaitwait- You're talking to me?
"…"
Ah, no, it can't be. Of course he cannot see me. It must be all the blood going right to the head, making me hear strange things. Yeah, it m- AH! Awwww~ That hurt~ Oi, oi, there's no need for you to press that kunai against my throat-
Itac-*beep* -ha. You- You see me?
"…"
Don't press it, Uchi- *beep*! You'll slit my throat open!
"Answer."
I'm the Han'nin.
"The criminal?"
Yeah, just look how dark and silhouetted I am. I'm a bit disappointed here since I expected that the one that finally got me would be a kid wearing fake glasses and a red bow-tie. Ironically, in the end it was someone who really has a problem with eyesi-
"Where are you from?"
Beika… cho?
"You know I can tell when you lie?"
I do.
"Then why do you still do it?"
If I told the truth, it would still sound like a lie to you, so there's really no point in being honest or not. If I'm going to die, then I choose to do so as a king of trolls and not as someone who was misunderstood.
"King… of trolls?"
It's just a phrase meaning I'll die a winner.
"… Did you attack the three-man squad about ten minutes south-east from here?"
No.
"Did you have anything to do with their attack?"
No.
"Have you seen anyone passing through here?"
Yes.
"What did they look like?"
Well, it was a man. Tall, dark, some would say handsome; I wouldn't, but, meh~ People have different tas-
"What else?"
Okay, okay! Long hair. Red eyes and a coat with clouds on it- OI!
"I've meant other than me."
N-no. I haven't seen anyone.
...
"I believe you."
Alright…?
Oi, where are you going? And wait! Did you just say three? Hey, did you say three-man squad earlier?! Don't twitch that groomed eyebrow at me and answer my question. I answered yours!
"Because I had a kunai against your bare throat."
Small details, *beep* -chi-san. Now, please, could you tell me more about it? I'm searching for three persons myself and I believe they're close by…
"Why are you searching for them?"
We kinda… got separated.
"…"
*sigh* I lost them.
"What do they look like?"
I- I do not know.
"If you were traveling with them and got separated, how could you not know?"
When we came to this world, they took possession of someone's body to act as a host since they, much like myself, do not have a physical body. The body that could be seen, I mean.
"But I could see you."
It seems so, yes.
"Sharingan."
…
Awesome eye technique to catch up on my existence, I'll add. Very useful, too, since I'm not hanging from that tree anymore. …So, yeah, thanks for that.
"How does it look like? When your companions take over someone's body?"
Whoa, totally ignored my gratitude… *bored* It looks like the time stopped, I guess? Like they're frozen? Unmovable and unresponsive… Oh, and they could not be harmed through physical attack.
"Is that permanent?"
What?
"Their state."
No. I need to get to them and start things in motion for them to get out it. Otherwise, they'll just stay like that forever.
"What happens with the original owners of the bodies?"
Nothing. They're still there but not really… in control, you might say.
"You said you do not know how they look like."
I don't because they didn't choose the bodies they, eh, 'possessed'. So… Are we, like, playing 20 questions, or you have actually seen someone lying frozen out there?
"Maybe. Why aren't you trying to take over my body?"
I cannot do that. And before you ask why, I'll just say I'm not able to do that because of my status.
"Alright. One more question."
And then you'll tell me where they are?
"What is it that you need to do?"
Errr…
"Well?"
Will you take me to them?
"…"
Don't stare like that at me! FINE! I'll tell you, but don't even for one second think I'm just jerking your ponytail or something.
They need to make your brother talk to a rock.
…
…
DON'T STARE!
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