Chp. 20: Regret & Purpose

Terrchel fell asleep reading Arnold's journal filled with weird symbols and notes. He couldn't help but feel like there was a big part of information missing.

He was in a deep slumber in the bed that the resident bot had prepared for him, with his legs peeking out from the pushed-back blankets, snoring softly with a book lying on his chest.

Where he dreamed about being plunged into an alternative universe where big faces appeared, giggling and taunting him.

Surrounded by darkness and unfamiliar territory. "You're just a fly you have no purpose here amongst the humans" one of the heads shunned him. A Pretigious school appeared and a group of people pointed at Terrchel laughing at him "hahahahah! What a loser! Go die you're 30 days are over".

Terrchel woke up breathing heavily, and a feeling of sorrow engulfed him. Suddenly he felt worthless. He got up from bed, proceeded with his usual morning routine, and had his morning coffee in Emerson's kitchen brewed by the residence bot.

The feelings of not knowing what he's even doing here at all washed over him like an avalanche, leaving his face pale. He decided to stand outside for some fresh air, knowing he still had to gather some intel today before heading back to the hideout before sunset, but he felt discouraged. Thoughts about everything people have said about him in reality, in dreams, and online all flooded his thoughts at once, causing him to feel overwhelmed.

He glanced upwards and noticed the neighbor observing him for an unknown reason. She was an elderly woman with grey hair and a prominent beauty mark on her nose.

He just decided to head back inside and gather his things to leave, not having the energy nor interest to further search the bachelor cube for any relevant information. Everything felt like a waste of time and meaningless because of the emotions he was carrying.

His heart yearned to understand why he was reincarnated here in this city as a human. Why him? A mere fly.

He grabbed all his things and placed them in his jetpack pouch, greeted the Maximus residence bot and set out to wander the city once again, but instead, he was approached by Emerson's neighbor, who was watching him a while ago. It seemed like she had not moved an inch from earlier. The only difference was that she suddenly wore technological rollers in her hair, which seemed to be styling her hair on their own while she held a cigarette. This was definitely a sight to see, Terrchel's face expressions were mix of curiosity and bewilderment.

The Maximus residence bot observed her making contact with Terrchel and remarked, "She embodies what Master Emerson referred to as the eccentric, mystical type of woman, but she poses no threat". Terrchel exhaled deeply, realizing that his day lacked purpose and that his life could not become any more peculiar. He approached the gate of the unusual lady who was standing there with her automatic rollers and waved goodbye to the residence bot.

She invites him to come inside and swang open the creaky door, a warm, golden light spilled out onto the porch, beckoning him to enter. Her eyes sparkled with a mischievous glint as she invited him in for tea, her voice dripping with a suspicious sweetness that was both enticing and unsettling. "I must confess, I'm intrigued by you," she purred, her words dripping with an air of mystery. "I've read all about you online... and I simply had to meet you in person." He shrugged, a hesitant smile playing on his lips, as he followed her into the depths of her lair.

As they stepped inside, the door creaked shut behind them by itself, enveloping them in an eerie atmosphere that was both fascinating and unnerving.

The walls seemed to press in around them, adorned with gloomy, Victorian-era wallpaper that appeared to absorb the light around them. But it was the whimsical high-tech decor that truly caught his attention - a jarring juxtaposition of antique furnishings and futuristic gadgets that seemed to defy the laws of time and space all existing in one place.

The air was thick with the scent of old books and burning incense, and he couldn't shake the feeling that he had stepped into a surreal, dreamlike world - one that was both captivating and terrifying.

She offered him a seat at a tea table where tea was already steaming hot and ready to be served. He thought the setup was way too planned, but he ignored the details and sat down reluctantly.

He seemed oddly out of place at the tea table and the seat appeared way too small for him, causing him to sit awkwardly forward with no idea where to place his arms.

"Sooo, you mentioned hearing about me online. Crazy world we're living in, hey?" Terrchel said to break the awkward silence on his part. The lady looked at him but said nothing; instead, she just hovered over him, picked up the hot tea pot and poured him a cup of tea.

The sound of the steaming tea hitting the mini teacup echoed in the silence. Terrchel stared at it pouring down, which seemed like forever while tapping his fingers on his awkwardly placed knees.

She handed the teacup and saucer to him, followed by taking a seat herself. "You can call me Poppy Margaret," she said, sipping the steaming hot tea without a wince.

Terrchel eyed his tea like it was a suspect, while lavender and honey conspired to charm his sensesIt seemed safe. He took his first sip, satisfied with the taste and aroma. He then took a big gulp and noticed something surfacing from the bottom of the teacup. It seemed to be a symbol. The tea left Terchel feeling calm despite him thinking WTF".

Terrchel: "What in Arcadia is this! Are you trying to drug me old lady?"

Poppy Margaret: "This is my unique mystery mark tea; do you find it appealing?"

Terrchel: "What is this floating thing!"

Poppy Margaret: "It is merely sugar; observe how it will dissolve in a matter of seconds. However, allow me to note that down quickly".

Poppy moved quickly to grab a napkin and using a voice activator pen she described what she saw and the pen drew it speedily at voice command. The drawing looked like a symbol. She picked up the napkin and smiled wickedly.

Poppy Margaret: "Ah, I anticipated this moment. Welcome back, Leader; we have eagerly awaited your return! Although many of the wise have passed on and died, my grandmother was the last; she left me with an old tale of a lesser creation who will be reincarnated into a man by God himself. She told me the signs, but I never believed in the path my people chose. I turned my back on their prophecies and pursued my own path after their death. Being the last one standing, I was tasked with awaiting your arrival, but I never believed it would be true until I saw you on the internet. Your appearance, the eyes, is exactly as my grandmother said it would be".

Terrchel: [bewildered] "Lady are you insane?"

Poppy Margaret: "There's a story about someone who once was and will be again nobody knows who he was in his past life but he is chosen to lead Arcadia to peace. This tea symbol proves it is YOU".

Terrchel: "Look Poppy, you seem to be... uhm.. Nice... But I'm just a fly in a human body. How you know about the reincarnation is definitely weird but whatever stuff you have going on here I want no part in".

Poppy Margaret: "You can't run from your fate. I was supposed to guide you but I stopped my training and historical background test because I always believed my family is crazy and now that you're here I feel I've failed my bloodline not being able to carry out my duties".

Terrchel: "So, what was the point of inviting me here and the tea? Just to prove a point? To get some information but actually not being able to assist in any way, shape, or form? Just to say... You witnessed the reincarnated being?"

Poppy Margaret: "Wouldn't you want to see with your own eyes the tales you were told growing up, brought to life".

Terrchel: "I guess so, but do you deserve to see it if you didn't respect it in the first place? I might not understand what your deal is, but that sounds like someone who doesn't want to help build the pizza den but wants to eat all the pizza and take credit for knowing the founders".

Poppy Margaret slurped the last of her tea angrily and placed it with a clink on the table and immediately stood up in an abrupt manner.

Terrchel: "Look Poppy, I see you're upset or offended at my remarks, but I'd rather be real than sugarcoat the truth. I don't think your family would be proud of how these events turned out knowing they all worked so hard preparing for this moment and you were the ONLY one to see it but didn't respect it enough to carry it through. It kinda made all their efforts for nothing. I don't understand any of this that you and your family had going on but that's messed up and can't be overlooked. I may just be a Flyman but that's disrespectful and to be honest a waste of the life you've been gifted with".

Poppy Margaret: [ashamed] "You're right. There's no defense for what I've done. I've lived selfishly and discarded all my traditional teachings to follow others ways. Now I'm face to face with the prophecy and I can't do my job because I never took it seriously".

Terrchel: [empathetic] "You wouldn't still be alive if there's absolutely nothing you can still be used for. Is there anything you remember that could help me figure out all this what's coming maybe?"

Poppy Margaret: "I guess I was supposed to ensure you understood who you are and why you are here. They said you would be someone nobody would have chosen; that's why you were chosen. They said you would know how to stop the war, but I can't guide you any further because I didn't pay enough attention to know the rest".

Terrchel: "War... That's concerning"

Poppy Margaret: "So tell me, the person you merged with, is his memories still with you?"

Terrchel: "Arnold?.. Uhm yeah, I wouldn't call it merging, but now that I think about it, it's just been my memories and feelings. Everything has been so crazy; I totally forgot that was the point of me coming on this journey to The Undergrid and leading me here now!"

Poppy Margaret: "I see your adaptation abilities exceeded expectations and now you 100% you? . It's like Arnold never existed in this vessel? "

She looked Terrchel up and down "stand up let me get a better look at ya. I knew Arnold he was famous in Arcadia".

Terrchel rolled his eyes and stood up towering over the elderly woman. She walked around him inspecting him.

Poppy Margaret: "Wow magnificent really! When Arnold made it big in the New Arcadia City as the head scientist, I was a child. I remember the excitement in the forest village for the new possibilities but instead we were all kicked out of our homes by the Arcadia patrol and forced to choose between the New Arcadia City or the electrocution cells. They burned everything in the name of a new start. Our crops our animals. It was a nightmare most of us chose to settle here out of fear others tried fighting the system and ended up in the cells. That's also part of why I left everything behind me".

Terrchel felt sorry for the elderly women and anger boiled in his heart whilst envisioning everything these people had to go through at the hand of this so called presidency of Arcadia. He knew she wasn't really able to help him because she forsake her duties but there was a whole village preparing for this very day and they were all wiped out. He couldn't be angry at Poppy because of the life she chose but he knew what she did was wrong. However, what the President did was disheartening.

Terrchel: "I assume this was at the orders of President Pedro Lawrence?"

Poppy Margaret: "Yes, how did you know?"

Terrchel: [smirk] "I guess we both have our secrets old lady" [wink]

Poppy Margaret: [scowl] "young man!"

Terrchel: [humorous sarcasm] "Don't worry Mrs Poppy Margaret if I am who you say I am then I'll do my best to restore peace however I can".

Poppy Margaret: "Don't waste your given time like I did, because when the clock stops it's over. I didn't consider this all my life. So even if you don't understand right now what you're doing, just keep going so you can live a full life without regret and eventually you'll get where you need to go but if you stop and choose the opposite route like I did. Then you might not get to your destiny and as you can see. Someone fate is always in the hands of another. Everything is tied together somehow. These things can be overwhelming. Knowing I had a purpose felt like a burden to me so the best I can do is advise you this today and don't fixate on the goal but the day to day. That's all I have to offer you sorry"

Terrchel looked at Poppy with appreciation of her advice. She was a strange lady but somehow she was saying everything he needed to hear right now.

Terrchel: "Yeah, I appreciate it Poppy. All the best with your life. Maybe try to get back on track? I know I was warned when I was reincarnated, not to take this opportunity for granted or it will be taken. I don't think The Light Realm will be smiling with your current progress but I better get going"

Poppy Margaret: "It's too late for me. I have no will to change directions. I'd be lying if I said I would do things differently if given a chance because I wouldn't. I like dabbling in the darker things of life and not living by any rules. But that's enough for now. Let me see you out".

As they walked past the wallpaper, Poppy stopped before a creaking cabinet and took a sealed iron box out, placing it gently in Terchel's care.

He exhibited a look of confusion in his eyes, yet he grasped it tightly and stored it in his jetpack pocket alongside Arnold's Journal.

Terrchel: "I'm not sure why you are giving me this or what's inside, but I know by now you don't know much yourself, so thank you in advance, I guess".

Poppy Margaret smiled, "I like you kid, you show understanding even when you don't understand that's very rare!"

Poppy patted Terrchel on the back and saw him out.

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Terrchel checked the time on his swatch it said 10:39 AM. He knew he still had a lot of time left before needing to head back to The Undergrid, so he decided to stop by the Arcadic shopping center to grab some things but it didn't exactly go as planned....

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