"Jesus? I learned about it in town once. Listened to some people talking. It's some kind of God or something that people believe in"
Well, almost the truth. Just not of this world. Still, the interest in this is really interesting to think about now that I've stopped panicking.
"Why do you want to know?" Innocent eyes! Cute head tilt! Tell me!!
"A few years back there was a man that used that word as well, similar to how you did. We've been searching for him for a long time really, right commander?"
"That's right. He saved my life back then. I never got to thank him"
Oh? So there is someone else from my world here? But he's been here for years? This is the logical assumption
"Still, a religion you say? That's not a route we've investigated before. Leo'll have to do some investigating once given the chance"
"Hahaha commander, why are you always making me do the hard stuff! I'll never get free time to relax if you keep doing this!"
Conversation is turning boring. Blah blah blah Grown up life stuff. Oh wait, I was a grown up before coming here huh? Still...
"Dad, we're not leaving until the morning even though Ben is leaving tonight right?"
It looks like I caught them off guard with my sudden interruption and change of topic, but they recollect themselves.
"Yeah, that's right. Ben needs to be up before dawn for the training camp tomorrow, whereas we can take our time."
"Then, can you finally tell me about me? About how you adopted me? My story?"
Dad is looking at me. Why do his eyes feel like they're penetrating right through me when he stares? Like he knows everything about me? Yikes he's intimidating. Good job glaring at him Ben!
"There really isn't much to tell"
Don't just say that and sigh!
"Well tell me what there is to tell!"
"And why should I stinking brat! You're just a child! It's not like it would meaningful to you anyway!"
Sorry Leo and Myra! You two look so awkward in the corner over there. Witnessing fights in someone else's family always sucks, huh?
"You wouldn't have told Ben about him in front of me if you weren't willing to tell me about me!"
Got you! You can awkwardly sit there scratching your chin all you want, but I know you too well!
"You were left on my front door. In a basket. With two notes. One told me your name and that the other note was for you. The note for you is a bunch of gibberish. I didn't know what to make of it"
Why are we all quiet now? Someone speak! This is awkward.
But still. The moment I learned of that note, it's like a small portion of my brain was being fixated on it.
"So then, give him the note Dad!"
Ben, you're back! You sure took your time to pack up.
"Fine! Fine! I see that I won't win this argument. It's not like it matters anyway, a bunch a gibberish left behind by people who—"
Yikes. Good thing I don't care as much as he seems to think or what he was about to say before stopping would have really hurt and wounded me.
He reached up high on a tall cabinet and took out a little box.
From that little box were two yellowed pieces of paper.
"Here"
He roughly put the papers into my lap.
Picking up the first one, it read:
"Hey Brill!
For that life you owe me! Could you take care of this kid? His name is Nicholas D. Wolfwood.
The other paper is for him when he's older. You can figure out a good time to give it to him yourself. Trust me when I say, he'll understand it.
Sorry for the short notice.
"
That's it? That's the note? Who the fuck leaves a child to someone else with just THAT.
Also...
"So, you do know more that what you're saying then Dad? What does the note mean by 'for that life you owe me'?"
That got everyone else's attention. I could see Leo and Myra brimming with curiosity and Ben was just glowering at dad. I think in the last 24 hours or so, he's become a very distrusting person.
"The only person I owed a life to is the one we were talking about just a few minutes ago. He was the only person who could have left that note."
"Wait! Wait wait wait! Commander, you said you had no leads towards finding that guy!" Leo was very shocked I see.
"It's not a lead at all. I was left a piece of paper, a child wrapped in a blanket in a basket. What in hell kind of lead could you have gotten from that?"
Ugh. More arguing. I'll leave them to argue. Wait, I can't leave so I need to listen. Still.
Does this mean that a mysterious man who is potentially from my original world is also actually my father in this world?
What does that other piece of paper say?
Let's take a look.
Wait a moment.... isn't this....
Hexadecimal? There isn't a lot here for a letter or message. What does it say?
L...O....A...D B...R...A...I...M?
Load Braim? Ah nope, whoops, Load Brain?
What the fuck does that even—
Fuck!! Why is my head hurting so much! AhhhhhhHHhHHHHHH
—————————————————————
Where am I? What's going on?
The surrounding look.... glitchy like I'm in the bad version of the matrix. Isn't this Earth now though? Just with numbers floating around everywhere.
"Hello, Nathaniel. We should talk"
Who? Where?
Looking around I found a man appear out of nowhere. He was walking hand in hand with a child.
That child is .... me? No ... It's Nick. I'm Nathaniel. That my old name.
"Who are you? Where ... is this?"
"This is inside of your head."
"My head? So this is a dream or hallucination?"
"Perhaps it would be better if I talk, and you listen. "
Uhhh yeah that probably true. A mystery entity in my brain... wait, what if it's trying to take over my brain? What if by not talking I'm not resisting and it's just gonna stroll into my head and take over ?
"You are me and I am you."
"You're not me!"
"That's also true." Ugh, now my head hurts.
"To be exact, I am the you from 7 years ago. But I am also 5 years older than you. The you, Nathaniel, that came from Earth.
I came here, in our original body. I don't know how. But as we don't have much time, a high level summary should suffice. I had a system. Like a video game stats menu and more. It was very similar to that game you, I, I mean we— developed. However, over time I realized that the system was simply a manifestation of the power given it me— given to us.
It was a devil fruit. We became a software person. And the system? It was just simply a manifestation of my will and imagination in order to help me — fueled by that devil fruit."
Whoops! forgot to post yesterday and today, let’s see if I can make up for that. I’ll post one today and try and get a double out tomorrow