Extra 7.3 Her True Name

"...What's wrong with her?"

A pair of eyes slowly opened, taking in the world. The baby was confused at first, realizing that something was different about herself, but not able to fully understand. The world around her couldn't stay in her memory, but she knew better than to cry over every inconvenience. Whenever she was picked up and fed by her mother, she felt weird and uncomfortable with the situation.

She didn't feel like a baby… But what did she feel like?

The entire world was blurred and unfocused. Most of the time, she would be sleeping so it didn't have much of an effect. However, due to her odd behavior, her parents had called in a specialist to advise them.

An older woman stared down at them with a grave expression, "It's a bad omen."

Another woman, the one who was presumably her mother, asked, "What do you mean?"

"You remember your firstborn? The baby cried."

"So this one is unhealthy?"

"Not unhealthy. Look at the eyes."

Suddenly three people leaned into view. The baby stared up at all three's faces, carefully observing each one. It was hard to see, but the baby could tell there was a couple and an older woman staring down. They were dressed in strange clothes and the baby couldn't recognize who they were.

"See the eyes? They acknowledge us."

"Is that bad?"

"Yes. It can only mean one thing." Her voice became grave, "This child is possessed."

"Possessed!? What should we do?"

"If we could expel malicious beings, it would be simple. But we can't. I recommend killing the baby before it can hurt you."

"Kill the baby?!"

The baby in question slowly blinked.

For some reason, the baby understood what it meant to die and to be dead. But rather than cry, she maintained her steadfast expression.

The older woman excused herself and left behind the parents to carry out the dirty deed. The father grabbed a pillow and slowly started pushing it towards her face. Just before it covered her small head, it stopped.

"I can't… Kill our baby. Even if it's possessed."

"What if we just lock it up?"

That night, a room was built, barely large enough for someone to stand and walk around. The baby grew up, and as she did, she became more aware of who she was.

She was an arriver, who had arrived like most others had. They wake up in the bodies of babies, but it isn't until they are toddlers that they can fully understand who and what they are. The girl sat in her box room surrounded by walls and a locked door without light, clutching her knees. Her neck wore the shackles of a slave, controlled by her parents just on the other side of the door. She would close her eyes, listening to their comings and goings, listening to them live a life she could have no part of. Her parents weren't necessarily bad people, but people who followed superstitions instead. They were kind enough to let her out to use the bathroom when it was night and would even allow her to bathe. However, every time her body touched the water, the entire water would immediately turn to alcohol. She couldn't control it and her parents would always get irritated. The collar around her neck was supposed to prevent magic from being used, but it did not affect this. Eventually, they stopped bathing her and used wet clothes instead.

While out, she would make eye contact with her sister who would always stare back without blinking. All she could think of was…

…How much that girl resembled Elizabeth.

She listened to her family leave for whatever they did during the day, but was shocked when the door suddenly unlatched and opened. The girl scrambled away from the light burning her eyes and saw a small head pop into hers.

"Are you my sister?"

The girl slowly blinked back, her face didn't move nor looked inviting.

The child in the small door spoke, "Mama and Papa said you are possessed and dangerous."

"..."

"Are you?"

"You shouldn't be here." Her voice cracked from lack of use.

She stared back innocently, "Are you going to hurt me?"

"No."

"Are you going to hurt anyone?"

"No."

"Then you're not dangerous?"

"Probably not."

Suddenly, the girl grabbed the chain connecting to the collar of her neck and pulled, "Come on!"

Being pulled out into the light so suddenly, she could only choke and wince. Her body was weak so she quickly hurried to follow the other girl who was pulling her chains without a care in the world.

"I've been wanting to play with you."

Knowing it would only be bad to be caught, she tried to warn the child. "You shouldn't be bringing me out. You'll get in trouble."

"Not if we don't get caught. Don't worry, I know a lake no one goes to. Mama and Papa don't let me go alone and they are busy so we should go before they return."

Without the desire to convince her otherwise, she was dragged over to the lake where her sister jumped in, "Come on!"

She looked at the water's surface without expression. In the ripples of the water, she could see a ghostly-looking girl with an expression that made her look extremely rude.

As she was staring, the chain was yanked. She fell into the water and as soon as her hand hit the surface, it turned milky white.

A strong steam poured off of it, intoxicating the other girl who was standing inside of it. Acting quickly, she pulled the girl out and dragged her away to get her to sober up. The child was fast asleep and her breathing quickly became labored. The girl had watched many friends OD before and could recognize the same effects happening to the child.

For the first time, fear made the girl's heart restart. It started thumping wildly at the sight of the child turning pale too quickly. She turned the child over and tried to pick her up, but even the walk to the lake had already exhausted the girl who only walked to the bathroom every day.

Her chest rose and fell with each heavy breath.

Not knowing what else to do, she flipped the girl onto her stomach and rushed off in the direction she had come.

The girl knew nothing of this world.

Her very existence was centered around a small house in the middle of the woods. She didn't know if it was like her previous world nor did she know what dangers it contained. Her steps slowed when she saw a teenager in her path staring at her in disbelief. Her eyes were drawn to the collar around her neck, "Who are you?"

She ignored her and pointed at the lake. Her voice was so hoarse it made one wince, "Someone's dying at the lake."

"Huh?"

She rushed back, only turning around to make sure she was being followed. As she watched the teenager get to her sister, she used the bushes to sneak away and scurried back to her house. Out of breath, she crawled back into the hole in the wall and leaned against it in the darkness.

She could have escaped.

She could have discovered more of this world.

Nothing kept her in this room.

She held no attachments to it or the people inside.

Yet…

She stayed.

Why was that?

Was she afraid?

Did she secretly love this family?

Was it a punishment to her?

Was she afraid to fall into her old ways as soon as she left?

Her eyes slowly closed.

No.

It was none of that.

She simply…

Didn't see the point of existing.

Not all arrivers want to be reborn.

…And she was one of them.

When the family returned after an entire night, they found their possessed child in her hole having a hard time breathing.

The child figured she would get scolded so she forced herself to look properly at her so-called parents.

However, to her surprise, they pushed over a bucket of water.

"Can you touch the water?"

She looked at the calm surface and then back to her parents.

The mother spoke anxiously, "Our region was never gifted with magic. But you have it. We can change our future if you turn the water like you always have."

The father joined in, "It's not challenging for you, right? We allowed you to live. You should at least-"

Before he finished his words, she had already touched the water and turned back around. She didn't care what they did with it, nor did she care to keep it hostage.

Every day, her parents would return and ask for more.

Every day, she would do what they asked.

Eventually, she realized everyone had thought it was her sister's magic. Since the family had hidden her existence, many didn't even know they had another daughter. Everyone thought they'd lost the child to an illness.

Instead of resenting them, she simply didn't care.

They moved to a better house and she was even given a bigger room with a window the size of her eyes. They gave her books which made her realize that this place was less advanced than she had realized. Every so often, she would stare down at the small village, watching as everyone lived happily while she could only watch.

…At least it was entertaining.

She returned to the corner and leaned against the wall, falling asleep from boredom.

To her surprise, she woke up to screams outside. Silently, she stood up and walked to her peephole window to peer outside. Her eyes widened as she saw beautiful lights in the sky.

They were swords, but they were made from pure light instead of metal.

They floated in the sky with no one holding them, resembling lanterns and stars.

"...So this is what they meant by magic."

The swords suddenly pointed to the ground and lunged forward, the pure white light was now dirtied by the flesh it pierced through.

Each sword stabbed into someone who had been running away. However, as soon as it made contact the light would dim and it would disappear, but not before ensuring the other received a fatal injury. 

Without expression, she watched the blood spread and drench the dirt beneath it.

Someone slammed open the door to her house and she could hear the screams of her parents and sister. They begged and begged to be spared.

The girl slowly stepped to the hidden door and leaned her ear against it. It was then that a melodious voice reached her ear.

"You're the arriver, aren't you."

Arriver?

"PLEASE DON'T HURT-"

Three thumps sounded against the wooden floor as a red liquid slowly crawled into the hidden space.

In a silent house, she bent down and touched the spreading liquid. It was suddenly changed into wine, but the person on the other side didn't notice.

"In the name of holiness, thy are now cleansed."

As the killer left the village, she didn't spare anyone. Every home went up in flames.

After an entire day of burning, only ashes remain. Only a girl wearing a collar stood in the ash, staring in a daze at the debris blowing in the wind.

A person slowly approached her, but it was their scent that broke her from her trance.

She turned to see a man who was in a trench coat made of random fabric. His hair was so unkempt and covered most of his face that she could only see his lips and beard. He reeked badly, even making her nose curl up in disgust.

"Is this the place where the limited edition alcohol is sold?"

"...We called it Cicuta."

"Right. Is this the place where I can try it?"

She looked around at the ashes of buildings and corpses, "...It was."

He let out a heavy sigh, "So it was an arriver who made it but now it's gone… Vira is always ruining anything fun."

Her eyes peered into his face and imagined the look of disappointment. She asked, "Do you have water?"

He wrinkled his nose, "Why on earth would I have that?"

She blinked a few times, "Follow."

As she walked, she didn't care to check to see if he was following or not. When she found some water, she turned around to see he had in fact followed. She reached down to scoop up water with a bucket and touched it. Instantly, the contents changed.

She handed it over, "It's your lucky day."

Catching the familiar whiff, he grabbed the pail of water and started chugging it without hesitation. She watched him drink as if he was parched in the desert until he finally finished.

He wiped his mouth, "Thanks."

She shrugged, "No big deal."

He stared at the collar, "In return, let me help you."

He slumped to the ground and pulled out a worn leather bag. Fiddling through the contents, he found what he was looking for. He pulled out a long needle and aimed it at her neck. As he pushed it forward, she never blinked nor moved.

It made contact with the collar on her neck and broke apart.

She stared at the contents on the ground while he scratched his beard. "I thought you'd scream."

"..."

"What's your name?"

She hesitated, thinking about what she should say.

Who was she truly?

She was…

"...Rebecca."

"Hello Rebecca, I'm Marx."

Hearing her name after decades of waiting…

It was everything she had been wanting.

..."Rebecca." Reika raised her powerful eyes to look at her friend who was cleaning dishes and ignoring the water that had already turned to vodka, "Why did you come to this world?"

"My father died from alcoholism and I always wondered if he had been able to quit, maybe my life wouldn't have turned out as it had." Rebecca's hands paused before resuming their work, "So why is my ability turning water into alcohol? What kind of sick joke is that?"

"But it does help people. Didn't you make medicine during the war for those who were injured?"

"I just made alcohol so strong it became a disinfectant." She pursed her lips, "I wouldn't call that helping people, just using what meager resources that I could."

"Maybe, or maybe not." Reika wagged her finger, "Your problem is that you view alcohol as a poison rather than a tonic. Perhaps you just haven't tapped into what makes your ability so special. Didn't you say you couldn't control it? You are a child of chaos. That means there is more to it."

She finally stopped at stared at the surface of the thing she attributed to ruining her life as Rebecca Carson.

"I liked indulging in alcohol because of the company I shared. I really miss going out to the bar with my friend and letting go of all of my troubles." Reika leaned back with a yawn, "Well… Is there anything you want to do now?"

Rebecca slowly turned to look at her friend and smiled, breaking the resting b*tch face she usually wore. "I want to create a community for arrivers… Since I have this ability, why not start a bar?"

Reika slapped the table, "I'm invested."