30. Honour (1)

"But I have enough information to know that all of them are in the wrong. All of them have something to pay for," Toni says.

I look at Varon's silent reaction of accepting defeat, as I sit at a random place which wouldn't budge a bit by my… astral, or whatever weight.

I randomly start clapping, looking at them.

"Bravo, writer," I continue clapping and stand up. "Alright, you got me. Learnt a lesson I didn't need to learn. Isn't 'Heroes' chapter done? What even is the purpose of showing me this, after all that?"

I get blinded by purple light and sigh as my legs hit the wood-like tiled floor. Rather than see ahead of me, I look at myself… at the purple crack, an uneven and crooked circle on my suit.

"That isn't the purpose," the guy says.

"Hello to you too," I sigh.

I go and sit down on the chair at the counter.

"Tequila shots please."

"I just asked for you to be summoned cause you were straying from the information I gave you."

"Well, I haven't eaten or had anything at all for… I don't know how many of the past days. And weirdly I don't feel hungry or thirsty. Adding that I was in surgery or whatever… I'm quite in a craving mood."

The guy just stares at me before moving. "Not tequila shots but I have something of the similar effect. Want any sides of snack?"

"Vegan or non-vegan? Because I'm really unsure of what would offend you. That's why I asked for alcohol."

"Well… it doesn't matter in my world. Besides, you do know that alcohol is mostly content of herbs, right? Or similar."

"They are?" I ask, munching on what look similar to peanuts, but taste more like tiny grilled bones. "What's your name?"

"Indecisive."

I stop munching to hear properly if he repeats himself, but he doesn't.

"I'm sorry, your NAME is that, Indecisive?"

"No… I mean my name hasn't been decided yet."

"Another Nameless case?" I scoff with annoyance.

"No-no, Nameless had an actual reason for not having a name. But me… my creator designed me. Lady Tacy made this place available. The writer introduced me… but, it all happened in haste. He didn't have a name for me. He usually never introduces someone without a name on mind. Suffers from perfectionism."

"But in your case he HAD to put someone trusted for me to meet. And it was you. But since it isn't exactly inside the story, he just took the leap this way."

"Precisely, yes."

"Well, but this won't do to me. I'm a perfectionist too, you know. So let's think… how about… Pomegranate?"

"Because of my head? That sounds racist."

"Your world has that too, huh?"

"Basically a big problem. Unimportant to you."

"Well, we could use part of the name, Pome? Is that a word?"

"Seems so."

"Ah, Pome would've been a nice name," I smack my lips. "What did you say this place was?"

"The intersection of worlds?"

"Hmm, a poor choice, but, we could work with that. And you are the Bartender to the bar at the intersection of worlds."

"B-t-t-b-a-t-i-o-w?"

"Heh, he had to copy-paste that from *** huh," I scoff. "Oh, THAT gets blurred out? Copyrights, I get it."

"Sure gets confusing, nobody actually thinks of it instantly and says."

"Sure. And no. We could work around with those set of letters and…"

Two hours later…

"How about we just go with Bartender?" Bartender asks.

"Already registered," I say with exhausted eyes.

Writer I swear… I just said it as a challenge and you… you are of zero help. Alright, I get it, I can't just invent a new name. You jerk.

"Look at the time," Bartender says.

"Where?" I look at the walls of the room.

"Can't you just go with such an expression? You even mentioned of two hours passing and you do this…"

"Alright-alright, don't need to be stingy about it."

"You sure are something else, Einya King," Bartender says. "Called you here to explain and you just waste time."

"Perhaps this was my purpose of coming here, by the writer?"

Bartender just glares at me. This nice guy… I guess I could annoy anything at this point. But it was nice to put him onto a similar ground, than him being some oh-so-wise being… even when he was, at least now he was more of a… friend, in a way.

"I do get to know the narrative, you know," Bartender sighs. "Thank you. I'm supposed to have a friend here and all but it… you know. Gets lonely."

"Tell me about it," I say and sip from the diamond glass.

"Not even the writer knows the co-"

"-yeah, alright, let's get to the point of why you called me here."

Bartender looks at me in a way – saying that he didn't like that he had to be down to business too. "Well, as I was saying before… Rahambose is real. And your purpose is to see who it is."

"Who knows, Adleon probably? Fro gives more of the vibes. But I think it is just that ultimate power or whatever right?"

"Yes, of course. But those are just options. On the options, don't you consider this holy beast of theirs could be it too?"

"Ah yes, the beast food chant. Of course."

"Possibly, one of them gets to Rahambose. Perhaps it still is possibly present in the present of your world."

"The one who animated Roach."

"Could be so. But we can't conclude it without proof, I hope you know that."

"Well, one of these past people is the Rahambose of my time, right? So that could only be this one who brought Roach. And since… if it is either Season, or Love-bite, or Fro… they know about me, the one who sees all. That's why they sent Roach."

Bartender just looks shook. "That… sure is plausible. But what about Blood?"

"Oh shit, he almost made me the villain," I realise. "That's basically what Rahambose does, right? But what if there are more than one? What if all of them ARE Rahambose."

"Then your world would already be a time mess. Varon wouldn't be alive."

"Unless he himself is Rahambose."

"Impossible for that guy… but yes, you seem to understand now that nobody can be ruled out."

"Alright. Next time, I'll come with the answer," I get up.

"Einya King, one thing," Bartender says, drawing my attention to the only point of interest in the room. "Maybe it is possible to escape Love-bite's that… getting closer to you or whatever. Try and go with Varon if that happens. You have two protagonists who you view, it may be possible to switch."

"That's a good tip. Will remember and try it."

"And whatever happens you should remember… you possibly can't change the past even if you try. But if you succeed in that…"

"I understand. Even if I get a chance to interfere with the past… I won't."

"Thank you."

***

"I kind of meant it in a joking way, you know," Varon reacts to me getting a new bathtub fixed.

"He means thank you," Antonia says.

Varon smiles while being embarrassed a bit… and a corner of my heart calms seeing that.

I knew heroes were… trying. At least that's what they say. That's where they all start. I'm sure that new hero who'll be honoured will also soon become like these older heroes, such as Trans. It was inevitable. And Varon didn't know that side, seemingly.

"You know," Rem says. "I feel like a jerk to not have any gifts at my hand. I live here and all of you have been kind, even you Antonia… so here's a good news I have, and hopefully a gift you could… appreciate."

Appreciate? That was clearly not for the gift-giver to decide. What a real jerk.

"The real reason I'm here is to hold a honouring… I don't know if you know, but there is this new hero in your nation. It isn't out on the news for safety issues, but there was a whole trafficking of infantile superheroes."

"That is quite the popular rumour around," I say.

"Yeah, and I suppose it got busted and solved. By the new hero, who I've come to meet and honour. And I could get all of you in to watch it up close, if you're interested."

"Heck, is he handsome?" Antonia laughs, and Varon glares at her.

"Not to ruin the mood, but… I think… with personal experience, it is better they never see behind the mask. Whatever happens. The mask is the divider between the hero and normal life. Once it is off in front of the public… both come crashing down. It may be for the better if we never know his identity."

Antonia nods in agreement.

But… could that even be possible? A hero who only stands as a hero, and actually mean it? Keeping all fame aside?

Would the person even be able to live such a life of division? If so… that person sure is beyond my comprehension.

"So, who all are in for this? Ticket's on me, of course. If it isn't clear already."

I get excited along with Antonia, and Varon agrees to it silently too.

You know… this sure felt too perfect. Could Adleon already have known this'd happen? In which case… he was already writing this script, while I thought I'm playing my own one.

I should soon get the pen in between my fingers.