When I woke

chapter 1 : strange place strange people

"Who are you"

"I don't know"

"How do you not know"

"I just don't"

"But you're here, that means you know"

"I, guess so"

"Who are you"

"Kiyoko, I think"

"Welcome kiyoko, open your eyes"

My eyes open. I'm greeted with a blank space. Just what was I doing? I sit up, my back hurts and I look down. There's a surface for sure, I can place my hand against it and i'm not falling. However, I can see right through it. This, is some kind of water, it ripples when I touch it but pulling my hand away reveals it to be perfectly dry. I ponder for a moment why that is. Surely when you touch water it is wet.

I stare at the relfection in the water. I ponder what it means as I analyze the image. I have hunan features, green piercing eyes and snow white hair that goes down a bit past my shoulders. I am completely naked, yet I don't have any normal human parts. I am neither male or female. But I am covered in strange images. They aren't tribal but dont have any recognizable origin, something alien. I ponder what it means, but cannot think of answers. The only thing I find is that I have a sort of, ring, around my neck. It's not made of metal but no matter how I tug ut will not release it's skin tight grip on my neck. Is this perhaps why I cannot remember anything? Perhaps, it's interesting.

I look away from the image, now uninterested with the lack of answers I find when looking at it. So many questions, yet there are no answers to be found in this galaxy studded lake. I stand, wondering what I should do. I glance around to see if I can spot anything. A ways from me I see something. Although I have no memories I recognize what it is, a crane. A crane standing on the water and staring straight up at nothing. The elegant glowing bird has an almost crystalline shine to it.

I approach it, wondering if it has the answers I desire. As I come closer I realise how large it is, or perhaps I am small? I look up at the bird, it easily towered 5 feet above me. How can I tell that? Oh well. I open my mouth to speak but it's head turned and looked down upon me "your answers do not exist. You must create them on your own. I am not your guide" it's voice echoed and swirled like the ocean, it sounded female. It then turned to look back up at the sky, staring sightlessly. I wonder how it knew what I would ask, but I do not interrogate it. What's the point if it has no answers.

Instead I sit next to it and ponder what I was told. I must create my own answers? But how would I do that when I don't know what answers I want? Truly a confusing situation. I stare down at my reflection. I guess I would want to know what I am, I can't be human can I? I have no bodily fetaures that would indicate as much. Only the face hair and body shape of one, but I could not engage in reproduction, whatever that is.

I open and close my hand a few times out of, boredom? Was that the word? I look up at the crane who was staring upward still. I once again go to speak, this time I am not stopped. "Excuse.." I pause, my voice sounds like it was made by several different people at once, an echoing chorus of words. It feels strange yet normal at the same time. "..me, do you, have a name like I do? I am kiyoko" I said, staring up at the bird. The crane scoffed "I am rega, but this name is meaningless in a world without names" the same voice as before responded.

I stare and then say "but we have names, does that not mean this world has names? And now that I know you name, does that not give it meaning?" I ask, pondering what my words even mean. They just flow without me thinking to much. Rega seemed to ponder my words as well and I wonder what they'll say to me. "You ask strange questions. I would like you to ask me more" it said, not looking back down at me. "What odd questions would you like me to ask?" I tilted my head. "Odd questions like that. So very odd. Though I do not have many answers, so you should leave soon as possible" rega answered once agaim to my question. I stare at my reflection as I ponder questions to ask.

"What am I?"

"I do not know"

"What is this place?"

"A place where we wait"

"What are we waiting for?"

"Someone"

"Who?"

"I don't know?"

"How long shall we wait?"

"Forever"

"I do not wish to wait forever"

"Then leave"

"How?"

"I don't know"

"If you don't know then who does"

"Find them"

"Alright"

I stand, not wanting to talk to the crane anymore. They only confuse me with their answers. No wonder they said to create my own. But I am still not sure how. I guess I must create that answer as well. I turn from the crane and walk further into this strange space. I ponder who or what I will find next.