Towards A Higher Level [Part 1]

I just realized it now, it seems that I am a rather simple existence.

Talking about my problems with others makes it very easy for me to regain enthusiasm.

I don't know if it's a good thing to have such a naive personality.

But at least for now, I feel like I'm on the right path.

"The rain is pouring heavily... Will it stop?... Where does the rain come from?... What causes it?...," someone sang and woke Joe Walker from his sleep.

Joe Walker began to wake up slowly and found himself on rocks. He realized that it was raining at that moment, and the rocks became a good place to take shelter.

Joe Walker woke up and found himself alone in the vehicle with his belongings. He looked beside him and didn't find Maria. He also looked back to the driver's seat, but he didn't find Alice.

Curious about the whereabouts of the two little girls at the moment, Joe Walker tried to get up from his sleep. He looked around and found Maria rolling around while singing. He finally found out whose voice he had been hearing around him.

"Maria, where is Alice?" Joe Walker asked as he approached Maria.

Maria stopped rolling around and sat down, saying, "hoho, has Joe risen from the dead?"

"Yeah, you're right, my princess! I have passed through the afterlife and returned with the help of a wanderer!" Joe Walker said dramatically to follow Maria's joke.

"Hmm, hmm," Maria smiled and nodded her head as if she looked proud. Then she asked, "by the way, what is that? Princess?"

"A princess is an important character usually found in fantasy stories. It's hard to explain, do you really not know?"

"Yes, I just heard that word. And what is a fantasy story?"

"It could be said that it is a story that is unrealistic and full of imagination. That's why a princess from a kingdom is often one of the characters. Because most fantasy stories use a medieval setting where it is still in the era of kingdoms."

"Uuuhhhhhh," Maria's mind couldn't process all the information given, so she just remained silent, staring at the rain.

"Eehhh? It seems like I went overboard. Hey, Maria, wake up!" Joe Walker tried to shake Maria's shoulder.

"The earth is spinning! We're going to fall! Brace for impact!"

"What's wrong with this girl? Oh yeah, Alice! Where is Alice?"

In the corner of the place, still in the same spot. It turns out that Alice had been watching what Joe Walker and Maria were doing.

Joe Walker found Alice's whereabouts and immediately approached her. He looked panicked and said, "u-um, Maria... She is...!"

"Calm down, she's fine. She's just trying to think and feeling dizzy," Alice said.

Maria, still in the same spot, said, "that's right, I'm fine!"

"Huft...," meanwhile, Joe Walker heaved a sigh of relief.

After that, Joe Walker noticed Alice making a fire. Wanting to help, he approached Alice.

"What are you doing, Alice?"

"It's pretty obvious that I'm trying to make a fire."

"Uh, as usual, Alice looks cold, right? Even though that's one of the sides I like about you."

"Why are you suddenly saying things like that? Praising me won't get you more food."

"Uh, so can I get some too?"

"Of course, do you think I'm a wicked person who doesn't feed others just because I don't know them?"

"In that case, let me help. Is there anything I can do?"

"Just sit near Maria and play with her."

"But... I feel bad if I don't do anything. Please rely on me for something, Alice!" Joe Walker pleaded with both hands.

"Huft...," Alice sighed and looked at the items she had prepared for cooking. There was really nothing Joe Walker could do with those items. Because making soup from packages is very easy and simple to do.

But Alice remembered something and said, "then I want you to do one thing."

"Yes, what is it? I'm ready! Somehow that sounds quite heavy. What's my task?"

"Tell me what's written on each soup package. Then give your suggestion for today's soup."

"So, today we're going to eat soup. Wait, so all the packages near the campfire are soups?"

"Yes, and they taste different."

"Are you sure this is all I have to do?"

"I gathered the firewood while you were asleep. And I lit this fire while you were still sleeping. There's no other choice, you were still asleep."

"S-Sorry! I was too sleepy because of lack of sleep!"

From a distance, Maria laughed and said, "hahaha, this morning when I woke up, you were already in a snowball. And who had the idea to tie you up while sleeping?"

"Let's forget about that!" Joe Walker shouted, feeling embarrassed.

Joe Walker and Alice looked slightly surprised, they looked at each other. They fell silent because they knew what really happened that night.

Joe Walker tried to smile. But suddenly Alice couldn't hold back her laughter because she remembered Joe Walker's condition when she and Maria woke up. Because at that moment, Joe Walker looked like a big snowball with a face. And when Maria tried to remove the snow from Joe Walker's body, she found that Joe Walker was asleep with his body tied up.

Remembering that made Alice chuckle.

Joe Walker, seeing this, was slightly startled, "eh, Alice is laughing too? Come on, let's forget about that, I'm embarrassed..."

But in the end, he smiled and laughed with the two little girls, laughing at himself. But he was actually laughing because he was happy to see the smiles of the two little girls.

After that, Joe Walker helped Alice cook the soup so they could eat. He told Alice the names of the flavors on each soup package and divided them into different groups. This way, Alice and Maria could taste the soup they wanted when they wanted it. It was all because Joe Walker could read the ancient writings on the soup packages.

***** ***** ***** *****

In this world, it is truly amazing, yet frightening.

If the world is not in an apocalypse state, it would be a comfortable place to live. Even making soup is very practical, just by boiling the powder in these packages, you can make soup.

Joe Walker was looking at the soup package he was holding.

"Joe, don't mess around with that, we haven't found the next food supply yet," Alice said while driving.

"I know, I'm just curious about how this thing is made," Joe Walker replied.

"Making it must use super large tools!" Maria exclaimed.

"What kind of tools?" Joe Walker asked.

"Hmm... I don't know... Who cares? As long as it's done, it means it can be eaten!"

"Your mind is only about food, isn't it, Maria?"

"Eating delicious food makes you happy. Isn't that right?"

"Well, You're right."

"Ehehehe..."

Maria started singing again along the way.

Meanwhile, their vehicle had started passing through a very hot desert.

"Uhh, it's hot... Why is there suddenly a sand desert?" Joe Walker complained.

"There's no other choice, we're already here. Ahhh, it's hot...," Alice replied to Joe Walker's complaint.

"Where are we going? Where are we now?" Joe Walker asked.

"I don't know, at the moment we still don't have a destination. But, since before we met you, Maria and I saw something interesting."

"What is it?"

"Try standing up and looking around. You'll definitely see something very big. Much bigger than anything else you've ever seen, and also very tall."

"Hmm...," Joe Walker started to stand up and try to keep his balance. The moving vehicle made Joe Walker a little difficult, but he could still adapt to it. He slowly looked around while enduring the scorching heat of the sun.

Not long after, Joe Walker finally understood what Alice meant earlier.

Tall and also very big. A structure towering so high that the top couldn't be seen.

"Wow, amazing... What is that?" Joe Walker asked.

"We'll soon find out when we get there," Alice replied.

Suddenly, Maria, who had been singing, stopped singing.

Curious about why Maria stopped singing, Joe Walker looked at Maria. He found Maria sound asleep, snoring. He smiled at Maria at that moment.

"Alice, where do you keep the blanket?" Joe Walker asked.

"It's in the back, near the fuel tank," Alice replied.

"Thank you...," Joe Walker started looking for the blanket. Afterwards, he put one of the blankets he found on Maria who was sleeping. While the other blanket was put on Alice who was driving slowly without disturbing Alice who was driving.

Alice was confused and asked, "What is this for?"

"To protect you from the heat."

Alice looked at the blanket put on her and began to adjust it to make herself more comfortable while driving. She smiled behind the rather large blanket while glancing at Joe Walker a few times.

Unconsciously, her trust in Joe Walker had started to increase. She no longer cared about Maria's gun near Joe Walker. She didn't even think about Joe Walker possibly betraying them.

They continued their journey and passed through the desert without any problems.

A few hours later, they arrived at an abandoned city.

A lifeless city where no humans could be seen living there.

They continued their journey and found a large ravine that separated them from their current destination. They chose to find another way to reach the tall tower that was now their goal.

Hours passed, and they didn't find any roads. Feeling tired, Alice decided to rest while looking for food around there.

Joe Walker was very excited, gathering a lot of food and running around. He even collected more than what their vehicle could hold. In the end, Alice could only choose to bring some of the food found by Joe Walker. Because some turned out to be perishable food, what Alice needed was food that could last for more than a month.

Joe Walker learned from his mistake and began to understand how the two girls had survived all this time.

They continued their journey. Walking aimlessly, hoping to find the end of the very large ravine.

Joe Walker sighed and asked, "Alice, is there still no way?"

"No, this ravine seems quite long."

"Not just long! It's very long! How many hours have we been walking along the edge of this ravine and still haven't found the end? Huft, I'm tired."

"Tired? I'm the one driving Right there, right?"

"Ehehe, sorry... Teach me how to drive this vehicle sometime, okay?"

"I don't want to..."

"Eh, why?"

"Let me just drive it. You and Maria just sit in the back and watch our belongings."

"Eeehhhhhhh?"

Maria suddenly shouted, "me! Me! Then teach me, can I?"

"No!" Alice said firmly.

"Ehhh? Why?"

"Think of the reason yourself!"

Maria really thought hard about it. While Joe Walker just remained silent, closing his eyes and humming to himself.

Alice suddenly muttered in a low voice, "you'll just ruin this vehicle if you drive it!"

Suddenly, Joe Walker asked, "hey, what's the name of this vehicle?"

"Huh? What's up all of a sudden?" Alice asked back.

"I've been hitching a ride in this vehicle for a few days, right? But I don't know the name of this vehicle. Isn't it sad when I hitch without knowing the name of this vehicle?"

"Sad?"

"How can I explain it? Respect? Maybe I just want to respect this vehicle."

"Even though it's an inanimate object?"

"Even though it's an inanimate object, I think I need to know its name."

"The name...," Alice looked thoughtful for a moment and continued, "as far as I remember, Grandpa mentioned the name of this vehicle. Its name is... Tn678."

"T...n...678? Quite difficult to pronounce, huh?"

Maria suddenly interrupted the conversation and said, "Tony!"

"Eh?" Alice and Joe Walker were surprised.

"Let's just call it Tony! It's easier to say, and also cute!"

"Eh?" Joe Walker was still confused.

While Alice suddenly said, "that's fine. From now on, the name of this vehicle is Tony!"

Joe Walker sighed and murmured, "I'm sorry, it seems your name has changed to Tony."

After that, they continued their journey. While discussing many things together, they kept walking without certainty. The unknown future was waiting for them.

***** ***** ***** *****

They stopped for a moment to rest.

Alice checked their belongings and found something messy.

Alice shouted in anger, "Maria! Did you eat the cheese without permission!?"

"Eh... No... That's not true!" Maria said.

"Then why is it reduced? Do you think I didn't count them?"

"Maybe you miscounted," Maria replied, looking to the side way.

Alice felt irritated and started pulling Maria's collar, "you! You are really!"

"Sorry, Alice, sorry! I apologized! Ehehe...," Maria shouted while smiling foolishly.

Suddenly, Alice quickly turned to look at Joe Walker.

Joe Walker, startled, felt scared being stared at. He asked, "w-what's wrong?"

"Why did you stay silent and do nothing when Maria did that?"

"Eh? That... I thought it was something that happened often. I thought Maria had done it before. Ehehe, sorry..."

"Of course not! Stop her next time when she does something suspicious again! Remember that! Tell me first if mari did it again!"

"Y-yes, mom!"

Alice took a deep breath to calm her anger and started walking, saying, "your food ration for tonight will be reduced!"

"Ehhh? Please don't do that, Alice! I can't live without food!" Maria pleaded.

"No, this is what you get for stealing!"

"Please forgive me! I won't do it again! Please..."

"No, you've said that to me many times. And you keep repeating it, just like now."

"Alice, you so mean!"

"It's up to you."

"You're a villain!"

Both of them continued to argue, while Joe Walker began to feel like he was being isolated. However, Joe Walker could still smile as he enjoyed the warm atmosphere.

Alice suddenly glanced at Joe Walker again and said, "you too."

"...," Joe Walker, who had been confused all along, just remained silent and smiled after hearing that.

Meanwhile, Maria continued to plead not to be punished. But Alice kept refusing, choosing to punish Maria to make her learn her lesson.