"Beth, Shannon. Did you hear me?"
Gary called his friend in this fantasia jungles.
Each minute passed, a hunch that his mate might be gone somewhere.
Looks like his hunch was true, it was no response back.
However, Gary didn't give it up, still walking deep trough the jungle. Along the whirled light of fireflies.
Then he found a sign :
Don't believe anything in this wood.
Unless they are the one who know everything about yourself.
Seeing this, Gary face went pale, letting out a repeatedly sigh, before sitting down to the ground.
A soft light of the moon, a stark contrast with his thought.
Chop it off! What's that sign mean.
Don't even trust anything in this wood? Maybe Including itself? Whatever. No need to waste time, I have to find my friend.
Not long after, he rose up, continued walking.
Reaching the cross path, Gary found a wooden puppet.
It smirked, before said.
"Gary, the left path leads you to find your friend. Run!"
Hearing this, Gary bowed, ready to head left.
But as his footh will step, the sign warning struck his mind.
Hey, don't forget I must not trust anyone.
Unless the one who know me everything.
But who? Well, I wanna test that wooden puppet.
Every puzzle is definitely my cup of tea.
"Well, Mr.puppet,"
Gary said, his voice smooth and deep.
"Yes, 14-years old boy, Gary. Today you will hit a chess, sudoku or rubik?"
Hearing this, he nodded slightly.
This puppet knew many things about him, but he couldn't confirmed anything yet.
"Holy chopstick, another question. How old are my parents?"
Gary asked, a calculating grin spreading on his face.
"Both are 25, I think,"
The wooden puppet's word, widened Gary's smile.
That's true. But whose parents have a 14 years old kid at 25?
Well it probably mean my foster parents. Anyways I will ask new questions- an easy one.
"Well, last question. What am I thinking right now?"
Gary said with a confident voice.
This was a decidement.
"Uhhh, maybe thinking about helping your friend?"
Said the wooden puppet.
"Try again. This is not the only thing I'm thinking right now."
Gary's word, deepened the wooden puppet thought, hesitate for a brief moment.
"Uhh, but I know you have crush on mysteryman association senior."
The wooden puppet smirked.
"Don't dodge my question, I asking you :
What am I thinking right now?"
Gary replied firmly.
Look like the puppet knew its plan didn't pay off, so it vanished through the air.
"It tell me to turn left? Well, I will go right."
Gary said, continued walking as if nothing happened.
After walking for a while, he reached a dark green path near the stream.
His gaze fixed on something :
Help your friend, the previous warning had no effect.
That sign, beside the red apples with muscular limbs.
They tyrannized Gary's both friends.
What's a merciless.
Lunar light casted towards Shannon and Elitzabeth, tied up on the three.
They both struggled for escape, but the more they tried, the more rope tied.
It was squeezing their body until the red spread, and their jaw clenched.
"Gary, help meh!"
Elitzabeth voice was struggled, the expression of Shannon deepened her pain.
Yet, it seemed like Gary was the next victim.
The strange apples rushed into attack him, the foot stomp echoed.
Need to defend himself, he guarded, his fist clenched.
Hold it up! Beth, Shannon. I'm going to save you.
It began, one of the apples raised its fist, ready to punch.
Unsuccessful, Gary elbowed it in a swift motion.
That apple thought its mate attacked him, so they fought each other.
Using the chaotic time, Gary rushed to untie the rope for Elitzabeth and Shannon.
"Are you okay?"
Gary concerned, his hand remove a knot.
"Not likely. But much better when you help"
Shannon replied, sighing with relief.
After Gary finished, the three stood behind the three, their gaze fixed on the apple's riot.
"Oh, kindergarten classic,"
Elitzabeth mocked, cover her mouth, hiding a soft chuckle.
"Haha, for real," said Shannon.
Look like they were happy.
But did you remember?
This was not real, this was just a delusional.
Everything faded like a mist, causing a confusion to them.
The white consuming all of the area.
[Absolute deleted.]
---
After their consciousness returned, they were in the tiny box.
Above them was an gigantic axe, ready to cut them off.
"What's the heck is going on!! Somebody explain?"
Shannon shouted, his hand convulsed.
"No idea! But we are gonna have no life!!"
Elitzabeth replied, her hand swept across the wall of close area.
Then, a familiar voice.
"Hatchatcha! Extremely genius kid, any last word?"
Hearing this, Shannon let out a force chuckle, before spoke.
"Ahh, if my breath ended.
I wanna go to other world, or seeing my dad..."
"Ohh, nice dream. Shut your eyes now, it come true."
Chopped.
The axe sliced, shut all their sense.
Their vision blurred, couldn't see anything.
What will they be?
――✧ Paradoxy core ✧――
Gary spiritual wielded- awakened.>
Then, Gary flinched awake, and saw someone visiting him.
The mysteryman association president, a tall tuxedo man, setting his long mustache.
Beside him, a man in sweater, seemed like his follower.
"Oh, are you getting well? New mysteryman."
Said the president.
Hearing this, Gary nodded, swept his gaze around.
He sitting on the bed in the hospital room.
"Um, excuse me? Would you mind to explain why am here?"
Gary said, with a polite tone.
The president couldn't say anything, there was a voice erupted far away.
Indeed, it's a Shannon's voice.
"Not an other world? And I have to stand with that golden hair girl? Just tell me WHY!!!!!!!!"
"Hey, be quiet. That's not your own home."
Elitzabeth shouted.
"So, you tell others to quiet, but you are also loud? Your lipstick might be melt."
The word of shannon—a green hair boy, deepened Elitzabeth's breath.
"Ya, it melt as it melt. But I'm not a beggar who beg for copy homework."
The quarrel of them both, made the president palm against his forehead.
"What's happen with your friend?"
He asked.
Hearing this, Gary swept a blue hair that reached his eyes, before replied.
"Oh, that's regular. Their peace equal strange thing, sir."
Hearing this joke, the president let out a loud laughter, before talked to Gary.
"Anyways, you ask me why are you here?"
Gary took a slight breath, nodded before the President explained.
"That's it, I saw you and your friend lying on the pavement. So I order my follower to take you to my limousine for a hospital."
Hearing this Gary took a sip, before replied.
"Thank you, president."
But the president slightly raised his hand.
"No need to thanks me, thanks my follower instead."
The president said, chuckling in his throat.
"Then thank you both, by the way. What's first quest before mysteryman verification?"
Gary's word, making the president laugh.
"First mission? Ridiculous, you and your friend are verified."
Then, the president pulled the book to Gary, another two to his follower.
"Well, give it to Elitzabeth and Shannon."
Hearing this, the follower swiftly obeyed his order.
As everyone got the book, the president said.
"Me and my follower going to leave now."
"Safe travel, sir."
Gary bowed his head.