"Speech"
'Thoughts'
["Speech Through Technology"]
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…
Original Dante, the person who traded his life for mine. He, who stole my place in existence. I once thought that it wouldn't be possible to see him.
But here he was. Standing on the same street I was.
"What are you doing here?" I spat, my aggravation growing with each second.
"Whoa, relax. I'm here with good news!" Original Dante raised his hands in a gesture of peace.
His outfit, however, was weird. To say the least, it wasn't the sort of thing you'd see people wearing.
He was wearing a black mock-neck, backless bodysuit that hugged his body, dark/light red pants held by suspenders, a matching, cropped, bolero-style red jacket with a hood, two circular red knee guards that appeared to have eyes indented into them, red and black sneakers, and a black leather choker.
It was an insanely unusual outfit, bizarre-looking and all.
"Fine, say what you want—*cough* *cough*" I covered my mouth with my hand, unable to get out all of what I wanted. My eyes widened in surprise at my sudden coughs.
Original Dante raised his eyebrow in suspicion, but didn't ask questions about the coughing fit. Instead, he placed a hand on his hip and smiled.
"The time I spent as you has been enlightening. It's taught me more, not only about myself but about cherishing what one has." As Original Dante spoke, I found my eyes widening further, absolutely stunned. "I've learned much. That's why I want to give you your life back."
"What?" I heard him. Though this, it was never an option I saw as probable.
"I said I wanted to give you your life back!" Original Dante said with mock exasperation. I could tell he was enjoying my brightening face and absolute shock. "You don't need to worry, I haven't done anything terrible in your world. I have simply gained a better understanding of what I want to be."
Original Dante continued.
"I've always had questions, ideas, and even thoughts of more, but with how I was living, they were never answered. Going to your world, becoming you, living as a person within sunlight, has given me a new perspective, outlines, and even new responsibilities. I now understand that what I did to you was in no way a reflection of what I want my character to be. So, I have come to right my wrong, give to you what I have taken from you, and live as a better person, rather than talking about better people." The longer Original Dante explained himself, the lower my jaw got.
While I had been fighting for my life, Original Dante wasn't idle. He was growing, learning, and had found a path in life he wanted to take. He wanted to become a better person and live as he saw God-loving people did.
I took a step forward, pausing a moment in sheer disbelief. Then I walked forward, my steps shaky in the beginning, then becoming firmer, until I was only two feet away from Original Dante.
"How do we switch back?!" I shouted out as quickly as possible.
"As I said before, chill." Original Dante placed both hands on my shoulders.
I wanted to go back as soon as possible. A warm bed, my family, my friends, I wanted it all back.
But.
Was I really going to leave it all behind? My promise to bring Malo back? It was so hypocritical of me to promise myself to get her back just to stop as the going got tough, and I had a way out!
I grit my teeth.
But—
I was already a hypocrite.
▅▆▇█〘Statistics〙█▇▆▅
Minor Increase In Strength
[Cost]: 150 | [Total]: 22
Minor Increase In Speed
[Cost]: 150 | [Total]: 24
Minor Increase In Energy
[Cost]: 250 | [Total]: 5
Minor Increase In Resistances
[Cost]: 500 | [Total]: 3
Minor Increase In Regeneration
[Cost]: 750 | [Total]: 3
█ ▇ ▆ ▅ ▄ ▂ ▁ ▁ ▂ ▄ ▅ ▆ ▇ █
I had spent orbs. The same orbs I said I wouldn't spend so I could get back to Malo faster. All for nothing. N'eri escaped.
So it was fine for me to go, right?
"I know that look." Original Dante said as he looked at me with a sad but kind smile. "You've met someone and don't want to leave them, right?"
"Yeah," I didn't say the whole truth, but still confirmed what he had said to be correct. "Something like that."
"I'll handle it, but before that." Original Dante sighed. "Who the fuck takes four computer science classes at once?! Who allowed you to do that? They really had me fucked up with that!"
I couldn't help but groan in exasperation. Yes, I was the one who took four computer science classes. I was the computer science major who thought it would be light work.
"Look, it wasn't entirely my decision if I remember correctly." I couldn't help but shake my head at remembering it, my breathing seeming sort of labored. "Anyways, it just happened. Enough of this, tell me how we swap back."
While my clothes had been stitched back together by probably my trench coat's effects, my shirt was still full of cuts and holes. I felt terrible, must have looked terrible, and my character was terrible.
"Alright, listen up." The calm smile Original Dante had as he spoke let me know this should be an easy thing to do. "It's not actually that complicated, super simple really. I'm going to have to kill you."
"What?"
"Now I know that sounds bad!" Shrugging his shoulders and putting his hands up in a gesture of peace once more, Orginal Dante continued. "But at most you'll feel is a slight pain, and then it should be—"
I swung.
Deterioration barely missed Original Dante as he jumped back with his eyes wide open.
I should have known.
No one changes their entire character over the course of a few weeks. No one is kind to be kind. They always have an agenda, a reason to give you that kindness.
In my sleep-deprived state, I almost trusted him. I almost fumbled more than I ever had before. I should've known!
'Eldritch creatures are not to be trusted! You know this, Dante, you know this! Why would you even think to believe him?!' I grabbed my face with my free hand.
"Dude! What the fuck?!" Original Dante screamed in anger. "I came back to right my wrong! And this is the thanks I get?!"
He wouldn't fool me, not even in a thousand years after this point. After all—
"I know better now…!" I mumbled to myself.
I would never trust these two-faced, multi-backed, crooked-mouthed, deceitful, eldritch creatures again!
As I got into a stance, bracing myself to use deterioration with two hands, Original Dante slowly raised his hands.
I heard the sound of a zipper going undone as his hands worked with his hood. Within that moment, Original Dante's hood came off and fell onto the street.
"You're a fool. I gave you a way back to your old life, and you tried killing me. But know this," Original Dante pointed directly at me, slightly posing with a backwards lean. "My power is not to be trifled with!"
I didn't even get to blink, and he was gone.
Behind!—
Turning around 180 degrees, nobody was there—
Behind me again!—
*BANG*
A force, a fist maybe, rocked my turning face so hard, I flew. I flew down the street so fast that when I hit the asphalt, instead of stopping, I bounced.
Bouncing multiple times, I hit a car.
*HONKK*
Crashing into it—
*BOOM*
The engine immediately exploded, killing the driver and family inside. I, however, fell onto the sidewalk pavement instead of getting caught in the blast. My momentum was the only reason I hadn't gotten stuck in the explosion.
People on the sidewalk, in their homes, and driving, began watching and recording. Talking amongst themselves, walking away, and those who were recording were trying to get closer.
"What are you guys doing?! Run away!" I shouted to the people on the street. There was no way I could fight Original Dante and not have casualties if they so readily took steps towards their demise.
However, that seemed to be a mistake as I stood up. A force hit my chest in a way I couldn't describe, deterioration flying from my hand.
I flew backwards, my body colliding with a house, going through it, and continuing to fly.
*CRASH*
I landed on a table, something round covering my head. I smelled food as my vision was covered by the bowl. Taking another deep breath, I realized it had to be—
"Seafood salad?" I questioned aloud. Taking my hurting hands and removing the bowl, I saw I was surrounded by a family of four.
A father, mother, son, and daughter, presumably.
I had landed on their table, my body parts in their food.
"Look at you!" Original Dante appeared at my feet, crouching on the table, mocking me with excitement in his voice. "Head in their seafood salad, ass in their macaroni!"
He looked exactly like me, albeit less muscular.
Sitting up—
Two different, invisible forces hit either side of my face back to back, forcing me to lie against the table again.
"Now, now!" Original Dante walked forward, grabbing a handful of macaroni, my ass was firmly pressed into. "We can't let this home-cooked meal go to waste, now, can we?"
I tried to get up, to move, but I felt weak. I felt weaker than I had ever been before. An invisible force held me in place as Original Dante grabbed me by my face and began force-feeding me the macaroni I had sat in.
I tried punching, but the same invisible force swatted my hands away as another punch hit my face.
'Adapt! Why am I so weak? Why do I feel so nauseous?' My thoughts grew more and more chaotic as I tried anything.
"Come on, didn't it taste good? That's not guest hospitality, Dante!" Original Dante said as the family finally got the idea to run out of the house. "They put so much time and effort into this food, why are you so unappreciative of their effort?!"
Another force hit me, harder this time. I flew through the house wall, into another house, and from that house, I flew into another one, my back being embedded into the wall.
I was lightheaded, possibly with a concussion. Still, within my almost blurry vision, I watched Original Dante walk up to me. One of his hands was on his hip, an extra flow within the walk, and an arrogant smirk on his face.
It was as if he owned the very world he tranced around. Or, at the very least, he was beloved by it.
He stopped walking when there was only a foot of distance between us. Both of us staring each other in the eye, I noticed something I hadn't before. Original Dante had a headband on.
It was a red headband, but there were words written in white on it.
"GIO?" I muttered aloud.
"Ah, yes." Original Dante caressed the headband. "It does say GIO. One of my keepsakes from your world."
"GIO…?" I mumbled as I thought. "GIO as in geography…? Geography relating to the world? The world revolving around you, around oneself? You must have the power to stop time."
Both Original Dante and I stared at each other. Silence reigned over the house we were in.
"That's one hell of a reach, and you know it!" A face of pure revulsion grew on Original Dante's face.
"It's only a reach if I'm wrong. But I did reach, I reached for the right answer, and you're mad because of it." A whimsical, half-conscious smile grew on my face.
It was promptly backhanded off my face, courtesy of Original Dante. I felt another invisible force grip my neck.
"You're much more sadistic than I thought you'd be!" Every single word I spoke had to be said with the utmost power I could manage. The invisible force on my neck left no room for light bits of conversation.
"Sadistic?" Original Dante faltered for a moment, looking to the side for a second, as if actually thinking about it. The force on my neck faltered for a moment. "I say it's necessary, not sadistic."
"Nothing about this situation went the way it should have. 'It is one thing to talk about better people, but another to become that better person you see. Seek a brighter path made by your own footsteps, rather than tread in anothers, in hopes of a better future.'" Original Dante muttered to himself almost silently. Although, because of my supernaturally good hearing, I nonetheless heard it.
Original Dante suddenly refocused on me, the invisible force growing stronger around my neck.
"I'm ending this farce here and now. You see, unlike you, I understand when I've overstayed my welcome." Word after word from Original Dante, I felt the invisible force grip tighten.
I couldn't die here. I needed to survive. I shouldn't, I wouldn't!
I needed—
Something, anything would do.
As I was choked to death, my world spun.
'Stop this…!' That was my only thought as my body was losing strength.
And as my world went dark, I saw yellow colors forming and glowing around my neck.
"That's not possible!" I heard the shocked voice of Original Dante.
I took in a deep breath, my vision unblurring.
A yellow hand gripped tightly at another yellow hand that was hovering over my neck.
Leaning my head back, moving my body to take a pose while still embedded in the wall, I spoke.
"This is my stand!"
『The World』