9 Meeting

If I let Gabby go, she would start having those sickening thoughts of helplessness and despair about not being able to cross that astral gate. If I can prevent her from entering the abyss, if I stop her even before she sinks into misery then maybe it won't be too late for her to accept the truth. I noticed Chloe chatting with green, thorns, and twins so I started a conversation with Gabby.

Micheal – "So hey, Gab, do your little brothers plan on going to our Uni."

Gabby – "Yeah, why'd you ask?"

Micheal – "Well, I have my books and textbooks in my dorm and,..."

Gabby – "I thought you live in an apartment?"

I suddenly felt my arms being squeezed by Chloe, I put my other hand to caress her gripping hand. I glanced at her but she was still facing the others. She might be feeling some spiking emotion in their talk so I just resumed my conversation with Gabby.

Micheal – "I do but, the scholarship I received comes with a dorm and textbooks to supplement knowledge for the general courses and some books for astral machinery and Prientiology, I didn't take any of those books because I never saw my dorm in the first place, I still have the key though. Now that we're graduating, I don't know what to do with it."

Guts – "Now that I think about it, there's a rumored unopened room in boys dorm, it remained untouched until people started rumors that a student committed a suicide there and became a dark spirit."

Micheal – "One of the reasons I did not come to that room, my other reason was I don't know where's the boys' dorm's location."

Gabby – "Aren't you close to Guts? You could've asked him where's your dorm room's located."

Guts – "Yeah boss I could've let you see my crib."

Micheal – "I have my reputation too, you know. You want people to know that I own that rumored haunted room? If people found out they'd think that's where I sacrifice virgins to the devils just to raise my grades."

Gabby – "If not there then where? I thought you only "eat" virgins, didn't know you sacrifice them too."

Micheal – "Wait!, It didn't mean I sacrifice people, why would I do that? Besides if I would have a deal with the devil they will need to pay me virgins not me pay them."

Gabby – "So you'd accept a devils offer as long as there's a virgin involved? Aren't you selling yourself "too short"? No offense."

Micheal – "It's not that–wait, what no offense?!"

Gabby – "Hehe, I mean if you made a deal with the devil just to get a virgin then, aren't you giving yourself "very small" value?"

Micheal – "You,...-"

I just stared at Gabby's sad face became a smiling one, I wanted to help her but I did not expect to be humiliated by her like this.

*Short? Small? Is calling my dick small the fad now? How about I shove it in their mouths to shut them up? Is calling my dick short then be fucked to sleep by it the norm? Rita was also surprised when she saw the real thing as if thinking it wasn't the same as she expected so is Chloe's reaction a while ago. It's already been 2 weeks ever since people started calling me this, someone must've started this.

Then suddenly I felt some stinging sensation in my arm, I looked down and saw that Chloe was baring her fingers on my arm while crystallizing the tips based on the lights being reflected by the skin. I looked at her and her face looks as if surprised by the sudden turning of my head, she then raised her eyebrow as if asking me what's the matter. I didn't expect this reaction and so I was stuck trying to find out if she was angry at me or she just wanted to say something, but her face doesn't look like it's about to say anything, neither does it show hostility. Gabby worriedly asked me because of my sudden silence.

Gabby – "Is there anything the matter?"

I wasn't able to come up with anything to save me from the situation, but then suddenly the culprit spoke.

Chloe – "Silly me, I forgot to tell you where the restroom is, sorry, Rachel can I excuse us for a minute?"

Green – "Sure."

Chloe then stood up and slightly increased her grip strength while I feel my skin having bruise because of the crystallized part on her hand.

*Is there anything again? You're doing something I don't understand again? Well, it's okay though, this crystal palace of a glass themed cafe is food for the eyes.

I saw her face that's making a cold expression and I can feel extreme hostility around her, she brought me on a narrow corridor and led me inside a room, the walls were made from a black wood-like material and the door we just passed through had its lower half made of the same material as the walls while the upper half that started above my chest is a very blurry glass, it was high enough to give privacy and low enough to prevent people from doing anything malicious inside. But it gives the presence of provocation rather than prevention. It was a bathroom, in any way I try to look at it, it was a bathroom, and it's enough to be called crystal clean in a literal sense, crystal-like porcelain sit, glass sink, there's even a shower place and a glass bathtub.

*Is this really a cafe or a glass hotel? Is everything here designed so that people would treat this place as their own house? Wait,... Ughh Shit I forgot I was brought here by an angry devil.

She locked the door and face me, suddenly I felt extreme danger near my face and instinctively moved my head then I saw a glittering shadow passed from where it was before. After that, I saw Chloe glaring at me madly while one of her hands were in front of her as if she swiped something.

Chloe – "Why did you dodge?!"

*Why would I not? That thing keeps giving me creeps whenever it comes near my face. I bet I'd be KO instantly if it hits.

I was about to ask her what's happening when I felt danger incoming and another glittering palm appeared near my vision, I once again dodge but this time I took a little distance away from her.

Chloe – "I said don't move!!"

*What don't move?! That's something that could knock me out in one go. AND what I said? You never told anything heck I don't even know what's happening.

Micheal – "Wait! Loe what did I do?!"

"What? Playing dumb?"

After she said that, she swung her palm once again and I blocked it with my arms, the moment the impact was made it was so painful I thought there would be blood but at the same time I was brought back to the time when we're young. Back then she was so mad at me that she punched me with all she got and I tried to catch her fist without knowing that her hands were crystallized. I had a week of not being able to move my hand because of fractures and she was guilty at first, but when she found out that I will stop tinkering with machines and play with her for a week she tried to break my other hand. I was reminded of that memory so I wasn't able to keep myself from grinning, but she took my grin as a provocation so she grabbed my hand and tried to swing the other towards my head. Before she was able to do anything, I immediately hugged her using my free hand and raise her up, buried my face on her chest, and let her slap me on my back. Then I put her down after she stopped her action before I asked her.

Micheal – "Hey, Loe, remember the time you broke my arm?"

Chloe – "HMMP! You deserved it."

Micheal – "When you realized that I'd be your playmate for a week until I recover, you tried to break the other one because you wanted more time."

Her previous mad glare eased into a cold one and then she said.

Chloe – "I should've done it, with your legs too."

Micheal – "Isn't that too much? How can I play then?"

Chloe – "You won't, I'll just play with you like the dolls you always ask me to play with."

Micheal – "Why hate me so much? Didn't I help you getting Green and the gang to your side?"

Chloe – "That doesn't mean you're allowed to flirt with other women in front of me."

Micheal – "I'm not flirting."

Chloe – "Even if you say that for you it isn't but for her, it will be flirting. If I let it go on, you'd ask her to meet somewhere."

Micheal – "Well, that was my plan though."

She suddenly tried to push away and struggle to turn back while speaking. She almost got away but I was still able to hug her from the back.

Chloe – "See? How is it not flirting? And you even admitted you plan to be alone with her?"

Micheal – "She looks very sad so I thought maybe I could help her to cheer up."

Chloe – "By what? Getting drunk and having sex?"

Micheal – "It's not like we need have to sex to help her, she just needs to have a goal or something that she could focus on."

Chloe – "Help? you just want to do it with her."

Micheal – "No, Can't you see her pain? I believe she went here not for the twins but to hear what's with the meeting, to hear what's the other side is like. She was sad because she would be left here, that all she could do was listen to other people's plans not to participate. I just wanted to cheer her up a bit, not do anything more."

Chloe – "WHY? It's her fault for coming here, why do you need to bother her? You even ignored me because you're talking with that woman, why are you so into helping people that don't care about you?"

Micheal – "Well, it's because I was able to receive help when I was at my lowest, I just want to save others and,..."

Chloe – "THAT AGAIN! Help people, save people, you don't even know what kind of relationship we have, yet you're already bothering other people's lives?"

Micheal – "Well, I-I. Sorry."

I lost all my energy when I heard that.

*Yeah, is she, my woman? My forbidden sibling? What is our relationship? God knows what, and I'm no God. I removed my arms around her, went to the nearest wall, and sat down. I thought that after we had sex then, then everything's okay again, but what was okay? Was it okay for her to kiss me whenever? If she can do that then we're not siblings, but she doesn't want me to treat her like my woman, she just wanted me to treat her the same as I treat a friend, It's just we could have sex or kisses when she wants, or when I deserved it, so, complicated fuck buddies? But I was not allowed to flirt, nor help others, so, she's like a possessive psycho girlfriend?

I was starting to feel even more down and having a headache when she sat beside me then hugged me. She then spoke.

Chloe – "Isn't it supposed to be our time together? Why are you suddenly focusing on you're helping others think?"

Micheal – "I feel her too, you're going to leave me, sooner or later she'd be left too. I was separated from you for so many years but it hurts so much I just try to forget the pain, but at least we're not that attached too much. At least when you are away it won't hurt too much, I can hold on with less pain than she needs to bear. Because what about her? She grew up with the twins, she also had 2 brothers that could cross the border. all of them, the people that she cared about since she was little, the people she loves until now will cross the astral, leaving her alone."

Chloe – "I know but, it's not like Gabby didn't know that right? With her competence, I know she would be able to get through this alone."

Micheal – "You don't understand, she's nearing her limit. You can't see it because you haven't felt it, the lifeless eye, the witty words to escape the sadness. It's like she's falling into an infinite pit of despair and distraction and despair and distraction, she'd resort to more means of forgetting reality, then she'd, even more, feel despair whenever she realized her mistakes, then, even more, escape and even more despair. That's what happened to me, I tried so many things to escape reality until I was able to find something that helps me escape reality in a good way."

Chloe – "Sex?"

Micheal – "Silly girl, Sex is only an escape from reality, but for me, a good way to escape from reality is helping others like me. Making sad people happy, even for a bit. Helping them to stand, to get out of the cycle, to have a better outlook in life. It made me escape reality and think that I'm a person that does the right thing."

Chloe – "So, until now you're still trying to escape reality?"

Micheal – "No, right now I want to help her because I feel like it. I just can't stop wanting to make her happy, because it feels unfair that, I was worse than her as a person but, I have you, I have someone that made me happy, the both of us at least have some memories of love while she was just gonna be left behind by the twins."

Her cold gaze eased up and her mouth had an approving smile, she then asked me.

Chloe – "Oh, so you want to have memories with her too?"

Micheal – "Friendly yes, intimately no and sexually no-no."

Chloe – "Well, can't you just spend time here?"

Micheal – "We can, I was starting to befriend her when you suddenly took me,.... oh no."

Chloe – "Oh no!"

We hurriedly stood up and ran outside the corridor. We took great effort into running because the floor seemed slippery. When we arrived the gang was not directing their gazes at us while grinning. When we sat down, Chloe's breathing was heavy due to fatigue and nervousness so it further cements their misunderstanding. Guts were smiling so much, people could count his teeth as if he was a father that saw his son brought a girl in his room, he sat beside me while nudging my shoulder. The twins were grinning while looking at Chloe, Nihhana on the other side was eyeing Chloe with a clear sign of annoyance while the rest was only remaining silent.

My dear oh my dear, I did my best to ease my breathing, why did you do that? No, I will not let myself lose face, I would've let it go if we did something worth it

I tried clearing the misunderstanding they had.

Micheal – "Well to be clear we did not do anything, we just had an important talk and forgot the time so we ran to get here."

Thorn – "Why defensive? And why is she blushing and breathing heavily though? You seemed okay, it's natural for you to have that endurance but."

Micheal – "You think I'd be finished after a few minutes?"

Thorn – "If it depends on size then"

Micheal – "The fuc-."

Thorn – "Besides there are many things other than sex though, kissing and such."

Micheal – "Shut u-."

Green – "Chloe baby, answer me honestly, are you too really siblings or,..."

Chloe - ",...."

Micheal – "What kind of question is that? Do I look like-."

Nihhana – "You do, I bet you made a replica of her in your game just to do things."

Green – "Chloe baby, look at me."

Chloe suddenly moved her head at my arm out of embarrassment.

*Ugh shit, I need help.

I look for reinforcements and then I saw Guts, he suddenly nods at me and slightly puffs his chest as if saying he got a solution to save me.

Guts – "Nothing happened for sure, the boss just have a problem with his pee, you see, excessive sex-"

I immediately smack the back of his head, making everybody laugh but, Green was still focused on Chloe, while the pitiful silly girl tried to bury her face at my back. I can't help it anymore so I was planning to bullshit them when Chloe hurriedly spoke.

Chloe – "We're not true siblings anyway so who cares?"

Green – "Well if I knew it yesterday then-"

Chloe – "we only got together yesterday so it's just okay."

*YOU SILLY! LITTLE! GIRL! Thou invoked thy punishment of the sinful rod, well, I know you just want to control me, and not let any advancement happening but, you still have your family to think about, I'm sure I won't live long enough to explain what happened to us if they found out.

Guts – "Boss!? Why are you hogging mortal beauties when you already had a goddess? I feel tricked."

Ceria – "Smells like there's a forbidden past."

Chloe – "No!!, Ceri you're bad."

Nihhana – "So that's why you're always asking about him huh?"

Thorns – "Curious me, that was too quick for a quickie but too long for making out either. What

did you do?"

Micheal – "I already told you! we just talked about important things and forgot the time then we hurried here so that you lot won't think anything."

Celia – "A man smiling and woman blushing while breathing heavy, that's not "normal" talk maybe it's a normal "talk"?"

Chloe – "Why do you even care?"

*Dammit, I swear in my name as Micheal Layperil, once I got the chance I'll make the silly girl that started this shame suffer happiness and joy till she falls asleep.

Green – "You sure about your decision? He's that kind of guy you know?"

Thorns – "What if he wasn't able to fit with you?"

Micheal – "Hey I'm here-"

Chloe – ��He'll change."

Celia – "What if you returned to our homeworld then he suddenly had a woman?"

Chloe – "It's his choice but, of course, I'd have another man if I return to astral after he cheated on me."

Ceria – "What if he breaks up with you?"

Chloe – "He won't."

Micheal – "um I'm-"

Nihhana – "What if he dies?"

Everybody was perplexed by Nihhana's remark.

Green – "I think Uncle John is about to arrive now,...."

Nihhana – "Well, that's where it leads right? Them not being a good match then they break up, next to him having a woman then they break up, next her having another man then they break up, the last plot would be one of them dies then, well, break up.

Gabby – "Hana that's too dark can't,....situation,....time...."

I can't, I-I can't hear,...I-I can't move,... I can't speak,... Wha-what is happening?!

I was experiencing something very strange, I can see Nihhana, Gabby, and Green arguing, I can feel Chloe hugging me, and Guts occasionally moving his mouth, Guts? But how? He's behind me but how can I see him?, I can see an old man walking near us, he was not visible but, somehow I can see him, I can see the others while I can see him, I can see everything.

(mdmdn)

I can see them, without their clothes, without their skin, without the tissues, without the bones, without their bodies, I can see all of them at the same time but also not.

(MDMNL!)

I can see lights, beautiful lights, beautiful burning lights, green had the brightest, Chloe and gabby had the weakest. And the old man, he has bigger light than anyone else, I can also see a golden woman shouting at me and the glasses, I can see my reflection, I don't look like I have light, It looked like I have something not light, I don't know what is this.

I focused on my reflection, it was an image of unknown context, a humanoid thing that is made of a crude mass of multiple burning lights and, something dark, something that consumes light, my reflection was a swirling mass of something entirely chaotic images as if the never-ending cosmos turned inside out and failed to build a body, and then I heard a voice. A voice that I could only classify as a voice, I know I heard it but not know when, or how, or what it sounded like, all I know is that I know what it meant.

~!@#$ [WAKE UP]

After I followed the voices' command my ears started to hear something ringing.

(maydcl)

I can hear again, my sight returned to normal too.

Chloe – "(Maykel!) Micheal! Hey, wake up!"

When I finally returned to normal I saw Chloe above me while shaking my shoulders. I was using her lap as a pillow and she had a troubled face but immediately eased up when she saw me opened my eyes, I sat again and saw the worried faces of other people.

Micheal – "How long was I out?"

Chloe – "Only a minute at least, what happened?"

Micheal – "Maybe I'm too tired."

Green – "If there's something wrong then maybe, you two should pass the tour"

Micheal – "Tour?"

Green – "People in the VIP could apply for a tour after spending some purchases."

Micheal – "Where's the tour located?"

After I finished my sentence I saw an old man standing near the table, he has fairly groomed gray hair, old green eyes, and a handsome face that clearly show the passing of time, he was wearing a butlers attire while holding a writing board, and something that'll never be removed in my mind. I saw him wearing a necklace that'll be ingrained in my head, it appears to be a crude necklace made of some leather strap and a black hexagonal shaped crystal. For a normal person that won't pay attention to the details too much, this slightly odd necklace that does not complement the attire is just something that employees of a Glass themed cafe would wear but, not me. I know that crystal, I know that crystal's power, I know how valuable it is, I knew it because the memento of my family, the AI operating system that both my Grandfathers used their whole life to build uses that kind of crystal as the core, it is not a kind of common commodity, it's an abyssal stone, something that could store so much data even whole civilizations worth of information won't be enough to fill it but, only two people knew how to utilize it, and it was both my deceased grandfathers. If something this precious was being worn by the butler then either the owner must be a psycho, this butler holds great influence here, the owner is a fool who doesn't know its value or this guy is the owner itself.

Uncle John – "The museum is located on the 1st underground floor and the personal collection of the owner is situated below, if sir is feeling unwell we could provide a room for you to rest while the others attend the tour."

Micheal – "No, I'm just okay, um mister, um."

Uncle John – "Oh, I am the receptionist handling the VIP floor, if sir don't mind, you can call me Uncle John, and if not, then John would suffice."

Micheal – "Okay Mister John but, I would like to apologize if I had caused any alarm in this place, I was a bit worn out and lacking sleep lately that's why I was not able to hold myself. But it's okay, I believe after seeing the various marvelous glass and crystal works, my excitement would be enough to quench my need for sleep."

*I should've studied bootlicking too, I only know how to bring pick up lines, and this facade, even if you are a VIP receptionist, you wouldn't be exaggerating your formality and Uncle John? Who the fuck buys that? Sounds so shady it gives me creeps. Do you have a butler fetish or something? And I hope you're a friendly kind of uncle, if it turns out you aren't then I won't end you quickly.

Chloe – "Why are you speaking like that? Uncle John won't mind it, he's a kind guy you know, he always gives us free sightseeing whenever there's a new item."

Uncle John – "Sir shouldn't be forcing yourself too hard, and young madam Surelia shouldn't treat it as my action, it is just a courtesy of the company to appreciate your patronage."

Green – "Uncle John, I heard the news about an auction for some strange crystals that was giving off an astral fog, is that true?"

Uncle John – "It was supposed to be a surprise but alas, young miss Praysins already know today's special."

*Well, it seems the girls are regulars here and? No one realized that this guy doesn't have a nameplate? He just said uncle John then he became your uncle John? But strange, why would the owner pretend to be a receptionist and in a butler attire at that and also dude! you fit a Morris or a Sebastian, why choose John? Anyway, the Cloud crystals huh?

They said that cloud crystals are a common crystal but, like a lot of minerals from the astral nobody knows what it does and, it only release astral fog, it does not condense, it was too hard to be processed into fuel so no one would be interested in it but, recently, someone bought a bunch of it to the point that the market price increased so much that it already turned into an auction item. No one knew why was the buyer purchasing the crystal and no one knows who the buyer is, but one thing that's known as, the buyer had black crystal arms and feet and wearing a mask depicting a smiling face with 3 closed eyes. Being an underground machinist, I too am curious about a man buying a bunch of otherwise troublesome material and so I struggled myself to buy a piece of overpriced cloud stone and, found nothing strange, it's as if the same as the astral residue produce in borders so, I wasn't able to understand what was happening. I had my eyes fixated on the abyssal stone while pondering when I realized that the owner was staring at me.

Uncle John – "But before we proceed, I need to apologize, under company procedures I would like to invite sir to accompany me for a health check."

Is there any sort of that procedure anywhere? Can you be more obvious about your intention?

Chloe – "Can I also come?"

Uncle John – "My apologies young madam Suriela, it won't be taking too long a time, the madam should remain lest sir's assessment is affected by "certain" factors."

Chloe for some reason, blushed while I frown at them. I stood up because with the way things developed, this guy could find a way to be alone with me one way or another so might as well as save him the trouble. We walked somewhere near the corridor of restrooms but passed it and went to the wall behind the elevators.

Uncle John – "Might I ask? How does it feel about staying in the cafe?"

Micheal – "I'd say it's quite the experience given that this place looks more like a crystalline castle than a cafe."

Uncle John – "Surely you jest, if sir has recommendations, I would like to hear any."

He suddenly wiped his hands somewhere at the reflective wall and then looked at me.

Uncle John – "If you may."

Micheal – "Um."

He was pointing at the wall.

You think I could pass through the wall or something?

Uncle John – "I understand sir's reaction, would you mind if I lead the way?"

Micheal – "I don't mind."

Then he suddenly walked in, he was able to pass through as if he was being absorbed by the surface of the mirror wall but the mirror itself does not produce any ripple or disturbance, I let my hand pass through but was surprised because of the lack of resistance as if I just held my hand in the air. I slowly walked in but still closed my eyes when my face hit the surface of this mystical wall, I saw the owners figure waiting for me from quite a distance while beckoning me to use an elevator. We entered and he started to show his true identity.

Uncle John – "My apologies but, Sir is Mr. Layperil, yes?"

Micheal – "You're right, and if I'm not wrong you're not just an "Uncle John" right?"

Uncle John – "Although my facade is a bit crude, it would be enough to trick others. With Sir's natural sharpness, any pretensions could be easily thwarted."

Micheal – "It's not like I needed to be sharp though, I mean the nameplate gave you away. Receptionists should have theirs right?"

Uncle John – "Actually, I do have one. It's just sir can't see, because it's an illusion that is produced by a crystal."

Micheal – "I don't know any crystal that does that though."

Uncle John – "Nobody should, at least for now. It was my creation, right now I should appear to be an old approachable grandpa wearing a receptionist attire and, my necklace should be hidden from anyone's curious gaze."

Micheal – "Doesn't feel like it though, I mean it seems impossible for me that, others can see you differently than I do."

Uncle John – "If sir looks at the mirage mirror, would you still think it's a normal mirror wall? And what of other people?"

Micheal – "Not really, right now I will just assume that any mirror wall in this place is like that, "mirage mirror wall" thing and them, they probably think it's just normal."

Uncle John – "Just like this disguise crystal, it will project my appearance differently for others. Since sir's instinct is strong enough to sense illusion then I assume you have met the owner."

Micheal – "Aren't you the owner?"

Uncle John ��� "Oh, sir made a wrong guess, I think sirs investigative ability is quite low but, still sirs instinct is enough to sense the owners' will when I arrive near your location."

Micheal – "What are you talking about?"

Uncle John – "The person that you met in the realm of mirrors."

Micheal – "The human thing?"

Uncle John – "My apologies, sir but, please refrain from the rude remarks toward the owner."

Micheal – "I'm sorry I-I don't know how to describe what I saw."

Uncle John – "It is okay, sir could just call what you saw "the owner"

Micheal – "Why did I see the owner when I pass out?"

Uncle John – "The owner gave me a task to bring the abyssal crystal near you to give a greeting through the realm of mirrors but, the owner seemed to be in a bit of a predicament and cut the connection."

Micheal – "So where are we going now?"

Uncle John – "To meet the owner."

Micheal - ",...."

*Shit, I'm meeting that cosmic horror thing? I-...

!@#$[I'm,...not,...that]

*huh?

!@#$[Don't,...be,...afraid]

*Um, you can read me?

!@#$[Hear,...not,...read]

Uncle John – "We're now on the 3rd underground floor, the owner's resting place"

After announcing our arrival, I heard another word.

!@#$[Welcome,...my,...savior]