Lavender Nap

I didn't think I was capable of sleeping but I slept.

The purple fields reminded me of my bed back home, the scent of nothing but lavender and softness, warmth from the sun... I fell asleep in a patch of grass but when I woke there were lots of flowers surrounding me.

More had grown during my slumber...hmmm?

I opened my eyes only to sense something amiss. It felt...as if I missed something. What was I doing here?

"So you're awake?"

I didn't recognize the tall girl in front of me. She was a transparent blue with a halo on her head that was adorned with transparent flowers.

Ah...

(You... grew fast Angel Jelly)

The warmth in her smile was sobering.

It scared me for a second mostly because she was super tall and I had been injured earlier, it didn't help that her outfit was reminding me of the Japanese tall woman yokai. Seeing something like her so randomly in a field of flowers... if I had a heart I'm sure it would be pounding, if not already dead.

"Not at all. You've been asleep for quite some time madame."

I raised my brows.

If Angel Jelly who was one of the second to last cultivators to finish says that I took a long time to wake up then I really must've been sleeping for a long time.

My weary soul felt refreshed, I sat up and stood.

(I wonder why I slept so much?)

She tilted her head. "Isn't it because you took damage from Black Tortoise? That brute..."

(I...took damage?)

Angel Jelly looked me over, her eyes were the only things that didn't seem transparent. They were a milky grey with blue around her pupils.

"You seem fine now."

(How did you find me?)

"Well... I sensed you for quite some time, and also the others were looking for you."

(Me? Why?)

"Well, the same reason. After we finished cultuvating the stones didn't come and the air felt quiet in a way... I can't quite explain it but it still felt like you were near."

I'm not sure I understood that.

(Huh...Wait is it okay for you to be away from the ocean?)

Angel Jelly tilted her head.

"Huh?"

Her stats screen pulled up as I focused on her.

Angel Jelly... before she's a jellyfish she's a lesser angel of the seas, an anomaly monster that can swim in the sea and now the sky...

I took note of her feet hovering above the ground. I see... She was the one looking after me and the flowers huh?

I see...

(Nevermind. Ah, I suppose I should give you a name now shouldn't I?)

"Hmmm? Ah... Giant Bee was going on about something like that saying we were to call her Beatrice. Since she was given a name before her last cultivation she's grown nicely..." Angel Jelly's smile widened but it felt insincere.

That's right she was the competitive sort, even though she had grown rather nicely as well. She reminded me of myself in that sense. There was nothing wrong with her so why did she feel as if she was getting left behind? There's nothing wrong with being a late bloomer. It was a bit saddening, comforting and yet saddening again.

The moment I thought such things I felt like a hypocrite when I recalled my old self.

I slowly stood and patted the nonexistent grass off my knees.

"Well then, should I name you before you cultivate?"

I willed myself back into my room, a space that felt cold and vacant.

I seated myself before the screen.

(Then Angelica Jemma will be your name. How many stones do you think you'll need?)

Angel Jelly was looking up at me. Her mouth hanging open.

"...."

(Thank you for looking after me and the flowers. Please allow me to pay you back in return.)

"But I did that because I wanted too..."

(That so? Still you're name's Angelica now.)

"Anne...gel...lica?" She sounded out the name.

(Do you dislike it?)

A smile waned on her lips and she shook her head.

"Thank you... but um...what should I call you?"

"Me?"

It felt so long ago that I'd been asked so for a while it took me a moment to process what she was asking.

(Ah! My name is Zhu zhi, it means Vermillion Iris.)