A/N
Well, I wrote this one faster than the last ones. But is it as good?
Enjoy and find out :D
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Recap:
A beast has been freed from the egg and our protagonists decide to stop it there and then!
But, when they think they've defeated it, Artura lows her guard and starts teasing the boy saying she won and therefore is the original and the two start arguing until the beast reappears and the two try to kill it before the other one until she feels remorse and sacrifices herself so the boy doesn't get eaten by the beast.
But she does.
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I was falling slowly through the beast's throat. But strangely enough I wasn't touching something solid, I felt as if I was falling through incredibly dense air. Still, I couldn't move; a warm sensation ascended from my feet until it suddenly stopped and fell directly to the ground and my sword next to me.
The worm had disappeared.
–Are you okay?! –the boy said; running in my direction.
I had fallen over my back and it throbbed with pain, but I guess apart from that I was fine.
He helped me stood up and let me lean some of my weight on him, it seemed like every hit I had received that day decided to make itself present until that moment.
The orb from which the beast appeared was laying some feet away from us. I stared at it for a few moments.
–But is it going to emerge again? –I asked him.
–I don't know; but we should go just in case –he responded.
Nahuátl girl walked pass us and grabbed something from her shawl and carefully trapped the orb inside it.
–What did you just do? –the boy asked before I could ask the same myself.
She then showed us the object she had on her hands. A golden egg with red diamonds on the sides.
–Wait, but wasn't it broken? –I asked.
–Yes –she answered.
–Oh, so now you speak –I exclaimed.
She stared at me with an annoyed expression.
–Then how did you repair it? –the boy asked.
–It is from the exhibition –she told him and put it on her shawl and turned to us.
–And what now? –I said.
–Guess we return it to the museum...
–No –nahuátl girl interrupted him.
–What do you mean by no? It's not ours, we have to return it.
–No. It is not safe –she answered.
–Of course it is, the statues are gone, we defeated them –he said.
–They may return –she simply said and walked towards the stairs.
The boy was going to say something, but I stopped him before he did.
–Leave her, it's a lost cause –I told him.
–We better get out of here –he said instead.
–Yes.
He helped me get upstairs and then I remembered something.
–Agh!, my sword! –I exclaimed.
–I'll get it –he told me and left me sitting next to a wall, the pain wasn't so intense in that moment, but I still preferred having a seat.
Nahuátl girl waited with me, watching his compass.
So that was it. The statues disappeared and the worm was finally sealed, and the boy was the one that hit the last strike and saved me from the worm.
Maybe he was the original after all. Probably when we get out of here he was going to rub it in my face like I did, and of course I would deserve it, that's the only thing I deserved in that moment.
He was a better Artura than me...
The boy returned shortly after with his sword in his left hand and mine in the right.
He then passed my sword to his left hand and awkwardly grabbed both with one hand.
–Let's go –he said and offered me his free hand.
–Yeah.
He helped me get up and we walked to the exit, but nahuátl girl stopped us.
–This way –she told us and pointed to one of the doors in the hallway.
–But we didn't come from there –I said.
–People are coming that way –she pointed to where we were heading.
–Maybe the police? –the boy said.
–Yeah, people interrogating me, just what I wanted –I exclaimed.
We followed her through what looked like the parking place for anyone that wasn't just a visitor.
It was almost empty, I guess they left when they saw the statues, that is if they had the opportunity.
I told the boy that now I felt better and could walk on my own.
We left the parking.
–So, you defeated the worm –I told the boy so he could finally tease me about how I was the copy and we could finally get this over with.
–Yeah. I guess I won –he was going to say it –; but if you hadn't saved me you would have instead of me, maybe you're the original –he said.
Wait, no!
–What?, but you won fair and square, it's your turn to laugh at me and tell me that I was the copy all along!
–But you were right!, I'm the copy, when the worm reappeared I was only focusing on destroying it before you! But you still saved me... I acted like everyone back home, only thinking about myself, but you did the right thing even when it meant being almost eaten alive.
–What about when I though the worm was dead? I was just boasting about how I was the original and you weren't!
–I would probably have done the same, but you still saved me afterwards.
–Practically you saved me too by destroying the beast, JUST ACCEPT YOU'RE THE ORIGINAL SO I CAN FEEL BAD ALREADY.
–NO!, I can't be!, there must be a way of knowing...
We turned to nahuátl girl whom watched us argue, obviously confused.
–You were in the hotel too –the boy told her.
She wasn't sure if it was a question but said yes anyway.
–Then you know who the original, the real one, is –I said.
–Please tell us, we need to know! –we both said.
She looked a bit scared, but soon her normal face was back.
–It does not matter –she said –. You are incredible together and that is more important. It was nice to meet you, see you later –she said and walked away, staring at her compass as always.
–Okay!, but who's the original? –I asked and the boy chuckled.
(...)
–Where do you come from?
–From the Norths.
–Right.
–How much since you left?
–I stopped caring.
–True.
–Why did you steal the sword?
–Because they deserved it.
–Yes they did... We're really the same, apparently.
–Okay, this one's a bit more difficult, why are you a boy? –I asked.
–... Just for the sake of being a boy? I don't know, I don't normally get asked that.
–Yeah, me neither, but how does this work?
–Are you referring to the fact that we have the same memories but somehow remember everyone using our gender's pronouns to identify us?
–You nailed it –I told him.
–Well, I don't know –he said while smiling.
–If you don't know then me neither –I answered and returned the smile.
We chuckled for some moments and then he said:
–Just don't tell me your name is something like "Artura".
–It is, actually –we both laughed –and don't tell me you're like "Artur".
–Of course I'm not! I'm Arturo –he smirked and we both laughed loudly.
At first we were worried about having a clone, but now it was hilarious!
After a while he said.
–I still don't understand how we got a copy.
–Me neither, but apparently it happened when one of us disappeared when the statues took over –I pointed out.
–Yeah, I remember it saying "kill them both" and me thinking "there's only one awesome dude here and that's me!" –he exclaimed.
Wow, we were the same.
–I guess we still don't know what these things are capable of –I said while lifting my bracelet.
–Yeah... sometimes I feel like it's alive and tries to help me –he told me.
–I know, it's weird, but... maybe that's the case...
We advanced a few steps without saying something.
–So what do we do now? –he asked.
–Continue our "big adventure". Heh –I said imitating the owner of the hotel.
–Haha!, I guess, maybe we could go...
–To another city. And see...
–What we find there...
–And have fun!
If someone would be walking with us he would probably be freaking out with how we talked.
–Why do we even bother talking...
–If we already know what we're going to say...
–Because we're basically clones!
We laughed it off while we crossed the streets of Hopolis, the sun was almost reaching the twilight and it seemed everyone was starting to go home... Home...
–A home... –we both whispered.
We stared at the people passing by our side, all looking so happy for finally getting to their houses, maybe even with their families.
–Remember what the owner said? About how he lives adventures every day attending his hotel?
–Yes, y'know, I'd like to have that, a home. A real one. But it looks like we just can't have that –he said, referring to... there...
–We don't have money, and even if we did, where would we rent a home?
–Yeah...
We kelt walking, feeling tired after such a rough day.
–So much for appreciating the city –I said and pointed my bracelet as far as I could.
The boy soon followed and we found ourselves dissapearing and reappearing again and again, the most efficient way of transportation from town to town. Why did I even use the subway before getting to the hotel a day ago? I just can't recall.
We stopped when the bracelets were out of energy and there was no sunlight to charge them with.
We were now at the end of the main city and only some small residences and the casual park surrounded us.
As much as I like traveling to new places, meet new people and do different stuff each day... sometimes I'd just like to settle down somewhere, but I don't know, what would I do? Wake up, have breakfast, maybe get out and hang out with someone, have lunch, talk with the neighbors, maybe, then have dinner and end the day. That sounds so boring... and still so fascinating. But even more than any of that I wish I could have the best of both...
–So, wanna sneak into a house and have some sleep? –he asked, looking like if he just had the same thoughts as me.
–Let's do something, you're gonna answer that question and we'll see if it's the same as the answer I was going to give, just for fun –I exclaimed and then thought about my answer.
Probably "Let's walk some more".
–Okay. Let's walk some more. Were you going to say that? –he asked.
–Nope, I was going to say "I'm Mrs. Potato" –I said and he chuckled at my joke.
We kept walking, illuminated by the lamps on the street and the moon in the sky... forget that last bit, the moon had never illuminated someone.
–And, do you think nahuátl girl is right about the statues? That they may come back? –he asked me.
–I don't know –I said –and neither you, and you already knew that, why did you ask me?
–For the same reason you asked me why I asked you, and that's to...
–Chit...
–Chat.
We both suddenly stopped.
–One thing's sure...
–They may –He said.
We turned backwards and stared at the city.
–Let's look for a place to stay for now.
I nodded and we looked around us. We had left behind the residences a while ago.
We both sighted.
–Let's return to civilization –I said and turned around.
–Wait, let's go there –the boy said and pointed to a house some yards next to the road.
–I didn't see it. Mm. Let's go.
We walked in its direction and admired the façade.
Man, it looked so, old!
The paint was fading out, the wood of the door was rotting and the bricks of the walls were falling apart; like the rest of the house.
How it was still afoot was a mystery to us.
–You also feel there may be ghosts in there.
–Yup –I told him and we both stepped forward.
When we reached the door something got our eyes' attention.
Just above the old entrance a small sign had four golden letters whose meaning is still a mystery to me.
"na de"
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A/N
Roll credits!
So that marks the end of the first ark (aka the introduction) :D
You know, this looks like the best spot to tell you to vote this book so I know you liked this, but if you have been reading up to this point then I guess you really like this story @v@, so I have another request for you, please comment any criticism you have, I want to improve as a writer and only YOU can help me! :D
So that marks the end of this story for now, I'll wait for some more readers to show up before continuing this, then again, I may write more but I won't upload it until I think it's time ;)
See ya!