Ability Test I

I silently woke up in the morning.

I rubbed my sealed eyes, and when I opened them, a white light blinded them shut again. The day was a cold one- of course, only as cold as a summers day could be, but cold enough that I didn't want to leave the comfy bed. The chilled air battered my face and I buried myself deep into my blankets.

"ᴜɢʜ."

A hushed whimper resounded below to me.

"Ah, it was real after all," I whispered, as I observed the young girl clinging onto me, still tightly sandwiched between my body and the bed.

Her eyes were closed.

She snored noiselessly, but occasionally would crease her brows and groan while curling her lips. It seemed like she was having a bad dream. I did hear a long time ago that the shortness of breath from laying on the stomach could result in nightmares, still, I didn't expect that I would ever witness such a case.

"There's nothing to fear, child," I said jokingly, while softly stroking her.

I moved my head closer to her face and slithered along her smooth, squishy skin. Her body emitted warmth, similiar to an old, rustic oven in the harsh winter time. The flowery scent from her silky hair enveloped my nose just like my arms did around her chest and waist.

"I guess she also sleeps," I said, while unwittingly breathing down her nape, hot blurts of packed air bolting out my mouth, like little needles tingling her periodically.

I asked myself, "should I wake her up," but when faced with the fresh winds, I decided, "I should let her rest a little longer."

She had beautiful, white skin, with a well proportioned body- long legs, a slim waist and hips that curved. The sun could do nothing more than play the supporting role, further emphasizing her faithful figure.

My body was the best after all.

Alright I admit, there may be a bias as I was evaluating myself, but it felt more like I was staring at my twin. Of course, if she really was, then she wouldn't be as good looking as me.

Her small back was firm and dry. I ran my fingers across the groove which marked her spine, and she trembled slightly. I went from the top of her neck, and was guided to the bottom. Her butt which was like two small hills formed an elegant arc.

My hands seamlessly sank into them, as if I was touching a bag of clouds, but they were still firm and had the elasticity of leather. Delicately, I kneaded her cheeks, turning them in circles with a rhythmic manner, and spread them apart.

I once more confirmed that we were exactly the same.

"Does she need to eat, I wonder."

Suddenly, she curled up, her face scrunched like a knot, and she turned around, her front now facing me. "Uhn," she let out a cry, while hugging herself.

"Eh, sorry, looks like you were cold," I said and embraced her again.

I intertwined my legs with hers, braiding them together. Our feet touched and I felt hers wiggling around. Her exposed breast poked mine, and everytime one of us moved, I heard the sound of my cloth rubbing against her skin, scraping each others chest. I submerged my head into her neck, as deep as I could, and her body hid my vision, as my face pressed down.

I let my lips float around her collarbone and caress her lightly. Meanwhile I stroked her head, massaging her scalp, and she slowly calmed down, as her expression relaxed again.

Unaware and still sleeping, she then hugged me, firm and hard, her arms pushing deep into my back, while her legs circled around mine, almost cutting off my blood circulation. Our heartbeats synchronized, playing an identical beat, and if one didn't listen closely, they would not realize that there were two.

Ah, I felt myself falling asleep again.

No, I still had things to do, so I couldn't allow my consciousness to slip.

With all my strength, physically and mentally, I squeezed through her grasps. We were tightly bolted together, as if sewed shut.

If we kept this on, we might have really turned into one.

Unfortunately, I had to wake the girl from her dreamland, but judging from her reactions, and how she seemed to have a nightmare, she shouldn't be too mad at me.

I placed one hand on her mouth, and used another to pinch her nose, squeezing it.

In my mind, I counted, "One, Two, Three, Four-"

"ɢᴀʜ", her eyes opened wide and she gasped for air, but my hands stopped her from doing so.

She flung her arms and kicked her legs arduously, flinging me away. After I let go, she rolled around the bed and inhaled strongly, while coughing. Little tears formed around her eyes, as she tried catching her breath. So she also needed to breathe?.

"Good morning, Sunshine," I said and circled my arms around her.

"ᴄʜᴇ," she clicked her tongue, "ɪᴛ ᴡᴀsɴ'ᴛ ᴀ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍ ᴀғᴛᴇʀ ᴀʟʟ."

"Did you have a nightmare?"

"ɪ'ᴍ sᴛɪʟʟ ʜᴀᴠɪɴɢ ᴏɴᴇ," she replied and pushed me away.

I didn't let go and came closer again, "I see, but fear not, as I am here."

"ʏᴏᴜ ᴀʀᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴀᴜsᴇ," she shouted.

ɪ sᴀᴡ ʜɪs ғᴀᴄᴇ, ᴀ ғᴀᴄᴇ sᴛʀɪᴄᴋᴇɴ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛᴇʀʀᴏʀ, ᴡʜᴇɴ ɪ ᴛᴏʟᴅ ʜɪᴍ sᴏ.

ᴜɴʙᴇʟɪᴇᴠᴀʙʟᴇ.

ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴡᴀs ɪᴛ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ʜᴇ ᴇxᴘᴇᴄᴛᴇᴅ. ɴᴏᴛ ᴏɴᴄᴇ ɪɴ ᴍʏ ʟɪғᴇ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ɪ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɪ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ғɪɴᴅ ᴀɴɴᴏʏᴀɴᴄᴇ ʟᴏᴏᴋɪɴɢ ᴀᴛ ᴍʏ ᴏᴡɴ ᴠɪsᴀɢᴇ, ʙᴜᴛ ғᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇ ғɪʀsᴛ ᴛɪᴍᴇ, ɪᴍᴍᴇᴅɪᴀᴛᴇʟʏ ᴀᴡᴀᴋᴇɴɪɴɢ ғʀᴏᴍ ᴍʏ sᴛᴀʟᴇ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍ, ɪ ᴡᴀs ᴍᴇᴛ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴍʏ ᴏᴡɴ ғᴀᴄᴇ, ᴘɪᴇʀᴄɪɴɢʟʏ sᴛᴀʀɪɴɢ ᴅᴏᴡɴ ᴏɴ ᴍᴇ, ᴀɴᴅ ɪ ᴅɪɢʀᴇss, ʙᴜᴛ ɪᴛ ᴡᴀs ᴀ ᴡᴏɴᴅᴇʀ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɪ ʜᴀᴅ ɴᴏᴛ ʙᴇᴀᴛᴇɴ ᴍʏ ʙᴏᴅʏ ᴛᴏ ᴅᴇᴀᴛʜ.

ᴍʏ ᴏɴᴄᴇ ғʀᴇᴇ ʙᴏᴅʏ— ʙᴜᴛ ᴡʜɪᴄʜ ᴡᴀs ɴᴏᴡ ʙᴜʀᴅᴇɴᴇᴅ ʙʏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴇᴠɪʟs ɢʀᴀᴄᴇ ᴀɴᴅ sʜᴏᴡs ʟɪᴛᴛʟᴇ ᴏғ ɪᴛs ᴏʀɪɢɪɴᴀʟ ᴠᴀʟᴏʀ, ᴛʜᴇ ʟɪᴠᴇʟɪɴᴇss ᴀɴᴅ ᴀ ᴘᴀssɪᴏɴ ғᴏʀ ʀᴇʙᴇʟʟɪᴏɴ; ᴘᴇʀʜᴀᴘs ᴏɴʟʏ, ɪᴛ ᴡᴀs ᴛʜᴇ ᴇʏᴇs ᴡʜɪᴄʜ ʜᴀᴅ sᴛᴀʏᴇᴅ ᴜɴᴄʜᴀɴɢɪɴɢ, sᴛɪʟʟ ᴄʟᴇᴀʀ ғʟᴏᴡɪɴɢ, ᴇxᴘʀᴇssɪᴠᴇ. ᴏᴛʜᴇʀᴡɪsᴇ, ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴇᴛʜᴀʀɢɪᴄ sᴛᴀᴛᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ɴᴏɴᴄʜᴀʟᴀɴᴛ ᴍᴀɴɴᴇʀ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴄᴏɴғᴜsᴇᴅ ᴍᴇ ɪғ ɪᴛ ᴡᴀs ᴍʏ ᴏᴡɴ ʙᴏᴅʏ, ᴇᴠᴇɴ ᴡʜᴇʀᴇ ᴛʜᴇʏ ʟᴏᴏᴋᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴇ sᴀᴍᴇ.

ᴛʜᴇ ᴏɴʟʏ ᴄᴀᴜsᴇ ɪ ғᴏᴜɴᴅ sᴏʟᴀᴄᴇ ɪɴ— ɪᴛ ᴡᴀs ᴀs ɪғ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘʟᴇᴀsᴀɴᴛ sᴜɴ ᴅɪᴅ ɴᴏᴛ ʟᴏᴠᴇ ʜɪᴍ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ʟɪɢʜᴛ ᴡᴇɴᴛ ʜɪᴅɪɴɢ ᴡʜᴇɴ ʜᴇ ᴡᴀs ᴘʀᴇsᴇɴᴛ, ᴡʜᴇɴᴇᴠᴇʀ ᴛʜᴇ sʜɪɴᴇ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ɢʟɪᴍᴍᴇʀ sᴏ sᴇʀᴇɴᴅɪᴘɪᴛᴏᴜsʟʏ.

sᴜᴄʜ ᴀ sᴛʀᴀɪɢʜᴛ ғɪɢᴜʀᴇ, ᴡɪᴛʜ ɴᴏ ᴄᴏɴᴛʀᴀsᴛ, ᴀ ᴍʏᴛʜɪᴄ sʏᴍʙᴏʟɪsᴍ ᴏғ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴡᴀs ᴡʀᴏɴɢ ɪɴ ᴛʜɪs ᴡᴏʀʟᴅ, ʙᴜᴛ ᴀᴛ ʟᴇᴀsᴛ ɴᴏᴛ ᴀ ᴘᴇʀsᴏɴ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴄᴏɴᴛʀᴀᴅɪᴄᴛɪᴏɴs. ɪ ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛ . . . ɪ ᴅɪᴅɴ'ᴛ ʀᴇᴀʟʟʏ ᴋɴᴏᴡ, ʙᴜᴛ sᴜʀᴇʟʏ ɪ ʜᴏᴘᴇᴅ, ʙᴇᴄᴀᴜsᴇ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ʙᴇ ᴀ ʙᴇɪɴɢ ɪ ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅ ғɪɴᴅ ᴄᴏᴍғᴏʀᴛ ɪɴ.

ᴀɴʏᴛʜɪɴɢ ᴇxᴄᴇᴘᴛ ғᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇ ʙʀɪɢʜᴛ sᴇʀᴠᴀɴᴛs ᴏғ ɢᴏᴅ ᴡᴀs ᴇɴᴅᴜʀᴀʙʟᴇ.

"ɴᴀᴛᴜʀᴀʟʟʏ, sᴜᴄʜ ᴀᴘᴘʀᴇᴄɪᴀᴛɪᴏɴ ᴡᴀs ᴏɴʟʏ sᴍᴀʟʟ. sᴍᴀʟʟᴇʀ ᴛʜᴀɴ ᴀ ᴅʀᴏᴘ ᴏғ ʙʟᴏᴏᴅ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴀsᴛ ғʟᴀᴍᴇ ᴏɴ ᴀ ᴄᴀɴᴅʟᴇ." She added, so I wouldn't misunderstand.

"You didn't have to include that part," I told her, which she reciprocated by humphing and turning away.

"Anyways," I clasped her face and turned it back, "get up, we still had things to do."

"ᴡᴇ?"

"Of course," I smiled and shifted her on lap with her legs around my waist, "don't you want to know more about this situation."

She squeezed me hard, her feet stabbing into my back, "ᴛʜᴀᴛ's ʀɪɢʜᴛ, ᴡᴇ sʜᴏᴜʟᴅ ᴅᴏ ᴏᴜʀ ʙᴇsᴛ ᴛᴏ ɢᴇᴛ ʏᴏᴜ ᴏᴜᴛ sᴡɪғᴛʟʏ," she said and nodded.

"Eh, I wasn't really planning on leaving though?"

Her head froze in place, and she uttered, "ᴡʜᴀᴛ," using her hands she angrily pulled my cheeks apart, "ᴇxᴘʟᴀɪɴ ʏᴏᴜʀsᴇʟғ."

I reciprocated her actions by doing the same, "where would I go, if I left?" We both twisted each other's cheeks, until they turned red and ripe.

"ᴜɢʜ," she touched her sore cheeks and shouted, "ɪ ᴅᴏɴ'ᴛ ᴋɴᴏᴡ, ʙᴀᴄᴋ ᴛᴏ ʜᴇʟʟ?"

"I wasn't originally from hell," I sighed, "but I might end up there if I really disappeared."

"ᴛʜᴇɴ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ɪs ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴏɪɴᴛ?"

"If we don't know how the power worked, how can I take you outside," I answered, "you might scare the citizens to death."

"ᴄʜᴇ," the girl frowned, "ɪ ᴡᴀs ᴡʀᴏɴɢ ᴛᴏ ᴇxᴘᴇᴄᴛ ᴀɴʏᴛʜɪɴɢ ғʀᴏᴍ ʏᴏᴜ," she then kicked me, while pulling on my hair, "ʟᴇᴛ ᴍᴇ ɢᴏ!"

"Ouch, ouch," the strength of my grip lessened, "you brute, calm down, you're hurting your own body."

"ɪ ᴅᴏɴ'ᴛ ᴄᴀʀᴇ," she screamed and escaped from my grasps, "ᴊᴜsᴛ ɢᴏ ᴛᴏ ʜᴇʟʟ."

"As I said, I'm not from there," I tried explaining, but she began to float away. Her hair was still ruffled, still that did not stop her from flying towards the door, "you aren't planning on leaving this house without wearing anything, right?"

She stopped and turned around, her brows forming an arrow, shooting downwards and filled her cheeks with a mouthful air. Her face darkened and she hid her important body parts with her hands. As if feeling the morning chill, the girl trembled slightly. In the end, she floated back.

Since she wasn't used to moving in the air, her speed was awfully slow, and the whole time she stared away, while gliding towards me.

I felt like a mother that caught her child sneaking into the kitchen to steal a handful of candies.

Without any words, I lifted a blanket and held it towards her. She looked at me, not sure whether to hiss or thank me, and in the end just swiftly grabbed it.

However just as she was about to touch the blanket, her hand went right through, leaving an awkward pause between us.

She stared at me, then at the blanket, and then at me again, unable to believe what had happened. I too, stood frozen due to the unexpected situation.

To break the silence, I said the first thing in my mind, "you must be feeling awfully embarrassed by now."

Her face reddened in shame, her hands still stretched out and she hadn't moved a centimeter.

"That's why I told you to understand the ability first."

"ʜᴜʜ, ʜᴜʜ," she yelled hysterically, her face full of question-marks, "ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴄᴀɴ'ᴛ ʙᴇ ʀɪɢʜᴛ, ᴀᴍ ɪ ɢʜᴏsᴛ, ᴀᴍ ɪ ᴅᴇᴀᴅ ᴀғᴛᴇʀ ᴀʟʟ?"

"No I don't think so, I was able to touch you after all," I held her hand which was supposed to hold the blanket, "see?"

"ᴛʜᴇɴ ᴄᴀɴ ɪ ᴏɴʟʏ ᴛᴏᴜᴄʜ ʏᴏᴜ," her head turned blank, "ᴅᴏᴇsɴ'ᴛ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴍᴇᴀɴ ɪ ᴀᴍ ᴏɴʟʏ ɪɴ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴍɪɴᴅ?"

"No that's not it either, remember you were able to sleep on the bed," I urged her to relax, "I think I might now the reason. Why don't you try to lift the blanket again?"

Her mind was in a disarray, and there were several different scenarios in her mind, all full of pessimism and fueling her paranoia. Still she carefully reached out, as if she was touching something poisonous, or in fear that the ideas in her mind came true. Thankfully for her, she was able to feel the blanket without any problems.

"ᴡʜᴀᴛ's ʜᴀᴘᴘᴇɴɪɴɢ," she asked me quizzically.

I laughed, "it seems to me," I then pulled her towards me, her head resting on my chest, while I laid on the luxurious bed, "you are only solid when you touch me."

I rubbed my face on her and giggled.

What a wondrous ability.

ᴍʏ ʜᴇᴀʀᴛʙᴇᴀᴛ ʀᴏsᴇ sʜᴀʀᴘʟʏ ᴀɴᴅ ɪ ғᴇʟᴛ ᴍʏ ᴛʜʀᴏᴀᴛ ᴛᴜʀɴ ᴛᴇᴘɪᴅ ᴜᴘᴏɴ sᴇᴇɪɴɢ ᴍʏ ᴏᴡɴ sᴍɪʟᴇ.

ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴀ ʜᴏʀʀᴇɴᴅᴏᴜs ᴀʙɪʟɪᴛʏ.