Minori began to shower him with vinebooms after vinebooms of confetti…
They were signs—scaffolding, even—of some kind of success. A balloon trumpet was wedged in his mouth, and a sea of yepay confetti blanketed the ground. "So… did you do it?" he asked, eyes wide with anticipation.
Adam only sighed, his body slumping slightly under the weight of the moment. It was all too much—this sudden bombardment of cheer and celebration—especially after what he had just been through. His face remained blank, unmoved by the hearts floating through the air and the live orchestra of instruments that danced around them. And those—those—infuriating vinebooms.
With a quiet breath, he scratched his head, gaze lowered. "No… I did not."
Minori froze. The confetti rained to a stop, the instruments dulled, and the surrounding noise faded into a hush. He blinked, then sighed, the realization settling in. He had always been the one to throw parties, to cheer people up when they passed through here. But now—he could feel it—it wasn't the time. Not finishing the task disheartened Minori a bit… but something had to be done on this sad Adam, and that was what mattered right now.
"Well… okay. Do you need help or something?" he asked gently, waving away the applauding background crowd with a wave of his hand.
Minori still smiled, despite everything. He floated upside down now, drifting through the air like a balloon himself. He reached out and tapped Adam's forehead with his fingers. "Is the new guy needing some encouragement from me?"
Minori thought quietly for a moment. This one was young—clearly still carrying the tremble of what he had just gone through. Maybe he had not met many friends along the way. But he had been accompanied by his guardian, hadn't he? It left Minori in a bit of a conundrum. Support was needed, but how much?
Adam stepped back slightly, flustered by the sudden affection. His face turned a little pink. He coughed, then composed himself again.
He had escaped from that place… and he did not want to think about it. It scared him—but beneath that fear, there was a strange sense of gratefulness. He did not understand why. Perhaps because… he had survived.
"I'm scared," he finally admitted, voice low.
Minori tilted his head, puzzled. His body floated again, now in the correct orientation. "Of what?"
Adam looked away. "Of this world…"
Minori gave a soft hum of understanding. "Well, do not worry. Nothing in this world can truly harm you… All the pain and death resets once Manori wakes and then falls asleep again. Unless, of course, she appoints it."
He gripped the brim of his hat in irritation. "This red moss—or some sort of organic biomass—is infecting my land. I do not know why… and it is making me lose control over parts of my own space. I tell you—there are places where I no longer have full dominion. It's… frustrating."
I looked at him. There was comfort in his presence—like an old friend I used to know. Of course, he was not. But still… I smiled. I felt like I could trust this guy.
"Hey… have you ever heard of stone inscriptions on some kind of monolith? Like weird blocks with words you cannot understand?"
Minori blinked, sifting through his thoughts. "Well, I… Oh! Yes—I remember. There were some stones that, no matter how hard I tried, I could never replicate."
He smirked. "But I managed to copy some of it. It annoyed me too much not to. I just sold them off and traded them to Temporex."
"Temporex?"
"Oh, yes, you know. It's actually a pun. Tempo means time, and rex means king." He chuckled, floating slightly higher. "Do not tell him I told you that. But yes, he's just a guy who collects things. Maybe you will find him someday."
Adam asked, "Where can I find him?"
Minori shrugged. "Well, I do not know exactly. But if you ever see a repeating pattern of orchids and pinecone trees… and maybe some broken-down televisions and abandoned swings… head toward the center of the forest. You will find a town. But be careful…"
He gulped, visibly tense. "I am just warning you… but be careful, all right? That place is not technically PG."
Adam stood up a little straighter. "I think that will be all. Thank you."
A large portal shimmered into existence beside him.
"Well… see you, friend," Minori said with a wave.
Minori: Person... "
I stepped into the portal. And just like that, I was back again…
She stood there—the girl in clown-like clothes—still and silent, her blank expression cast over the horizon. Her red eyes met mine, and she sighed.
"Well. Took you long enough."
She tapped my chest lightly