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Chapter 8: Today’s today, Tomorrow’s tomorrow

「Leo …. Leo, Wake up, please wake up Leo or I will-」

「Alright I will Maria.」

A young boy opens his eyes, a young peach-coloured hair girl stands above him with a bright smile. The boy stretched before getting up from the grass while rubbing his eyes.

「Hey Leo, why do you always sleep near the cliff? It seems dangerous sleeping near it.」

「It’s very comfy; The breeze from the wind feels nice while listening to the water splashing the cliff.」

「Ehhh, next time I wanna join you. But I wanna play with you right now, Leo.」

She grabbed his hand, pulling him while running across the grassy plains. Both children started frolicking and laughing until Maria tripped and toppled both onto the ground, but that doesn’t stop them from laughing.

Fire, Fire everywhere. Leo looks horrified at his orphanage burning while everyone screaming and running. A black four-legged creature spewing fire burned the entire city to the ground. He was fast and ferocious, his long sharp claws pierced through a man and tosses it ripping the man in half. A bunch of young adventures and mages try to fight them, but each hit from the swordsman bounces right off while the creature easily shook off the mage's barrages of spells. The creature roars in enrage, leading to swift slashes and tail whips, cutting them one by one before approaching the horrified Leo, unable to move an inch in fear. The creature lowered his face towards the boy while breathing, pushing back the boy’s hair. Leo's hands and leg shook, unable to move an inch.

Suddenly, a ray of light struck the creature. The creature cried out in agony, unable to break free from the light. Priest Absalom slowly approached the ray of light, muttering a chant with both hands gripping the holy staff while the creature slowly evaporated in the light. The creature roared in agony before completely vanishing, with the light disappearing soon after. The priest smiled deviously; he walked towards Leo and placed his left arm onto his shoulders and slowly leaning towards his face, giving him goosebumps.

「GAH!」

「Sorry to startle you, Leo, but the food's ready. I made some Chicken Cacciatore.」

I looked around my ship while breathing heavily; Tiana stepped back away from me, still wearing an apron. I touched my left cheek and looked at my fingertips; I guess I was sweating a bit. While I slowly catch up my breath and got up on the couch.

「oh, ok. Thanks so much for preparing dinner for me.」

「It’s the least I could do for now.」

I walked towards the table and sat down quietly; Tiana placed the cutlery on the table before serving me a plate of chicken cacciatore.

「Enjoy. 」

I picked up my fork and started digging into the food while Tiana placed her food on the table in front of me. The food felt warm and comforting. It tasted like someone who has known me for so long giving me a warm hug. I never had this before yet; it felt strangely nostalgic. My eyes tear up and I cannot stop. I don’t get it; I never felt this with food before. I tried to wipe off my tears, but they kept flowing.

「I’m glad you like the food. Sometimes when I feel down, I make this to cheer myself up. It reminds me of where I’m from. Unfortunately, the taste will never be completely right.」

「wait, why? 」

「The ingredient doesn’t exist here.」

「Even if it isn’t on this planet. That doesn’t mean that you can’t get that ingredient.」

「Sorry, I should clarify it better; It doesn’t exist in this reality. Even if I tried to go back to where I’m from, I would see nothing but the empty void.」

「Sorry but I don’t follow.」

「That’s fair; Long story short, I am from a different alternate multiverse that got wiped out and now I’m stranded here. But don’t worry about me; I’m more worried about you, Leo. You look a little down; how do you feel?」

「I feel…. Fine, I just got a bit teary.」

「You sure? All I am gonna say is that it doesn’t take a mind reader to see that you are sad. Either way, if you don’t want to talk about it, I won’t force you, but I’m all ears if you need it.」

I sat there quietly, thinking if I should tell her or not. I shifted myself to be next to Tiana and took a deep breath before exhaling it all out.

「I grew up in an orphanage; I never knew my parents, nor do I think they cared. But I was a happy child. They treated me well, like I was part of their family, although I could never get along with them. But one day, I met her. I was in the fields of the cliff laying down while looking up at the sky, Then Maria stumbled onto me, before I knew it we used to play together every day until a large monster appeared. I still don’t know what it is but it almost destroyed the whole city only saved by that corrupted priest. He … blamed everything on me saying I was some demon child that controlled that creature. He rambled on about some nonsense to frame me. I know damn well he wants me to stay away from her daughter, but I don’t know why? 」

「From how I saw it looked like parents want to be protective but I know damn well its something to do with her powers.」

「What’s so important about her powers to keep me away?」

「Her powers are very unique. I know for a certain fact that they are hiding something.」

Hiding something? I can guess why with everything I’m given, but what does it have to involve me? What did I do? I guess I would leave it there; it doesn’t matter anymore. I sighed.

「Whelp, it’s not like I can do anything about it, anyway. But…. maybe」

Something sparked in me. This should do, I can -

「That’s not gonna work.」

「Wait, do you even know what I am go-」

「Convince the entirety of karma that the Priest is evil or something. It is not gonna work. Number 1, we got no physical evidence, no 2, they hate you and no 3 they going to shut you down.」

「Then what should I do?」

「I wouldn’t worry about it.」

「That doesn’t answer my question. Wait, what do you mean by that?」

「Uh-ummm, we can pick up the conversation another time; We got a big day ahead of us tomorrow, anyway. So sit back and relax a bit; I’ll do the cleaning right now. 」

She looked away, avoiding any eye contact while picking up the dishes towards the sink and started cleaning. What does she mean by not worrying about it and the big day tomorrow? What does she mean about that? I exhaled heavily and leaned back on the chair. I tried to think about something else, but I can’t get it out of my head. It’s annoying me too much.

「So…. What’s the plan tomorrow? You said it was a big day.」

Tiana froze, her face started sweating slightly with slight shaking towards her hands. She opens her mouth slowly, but no words came out. I got up and walked closer to her.

「Tiana? Are you ok?」

I walked right next to her to and looked towards her face, but she looked away, avoiding eye contact.

「Why are you looking like that?」

「It’s nothing….」

She washes the dishes again.

「So then, what are we doing tomorrow? You mention we got a big day tomorrow; I do want to know to prepare myself.」

She kept silent; the only sound that was in the room was the water splashing into the sink with scrubbing noises from cleaning the dishes. After a few long seconds of silence, she takes a big breath before letting it all out.

「Just don’t worry about it ok, Leo?」

「But hey I at least want to know what’s -」

「Today's today tomorrow's tomorrow; let’s not worry about it right now.」

I tried to say something, but I looked at her sorrowful face. My body tensed up, preventing me from going any further. Flashes of a heated argument over something that doesn’t matter come across my mind. I guess I rather not know for the time being; I stepped back hastily.

「Ok, I will. If you need me, I will be in the bunks.」

I stepped away and walked into the bunk room; before I turn to the corridor, I took a quick glimpse at Tiana. She was still making that some sorrowful expression. I sighed and walked towards the bunks and fell flat into the lower bunk bed face first. It’s annoying me, everything is annoying me; I can’t shake this feeling off, but I guess I have to take it. From what she is saying, something is going to happen tomorrow, and it doesn’t seem good. I guess I have to find out tomorrow, at least right now I have some kind of company with me. It’s nice to have someone who doesn’t see me as the evil incarnate. But what will happen when she goes off on her own adventure? I know it will happen and I tried to ignore that fact for a while. Whelp, today’s today tomorrows tomorrow; I guess I will worry about it tomorrow.