Morphogenesis

"That," I said, splashing my foot in the ankle deep water, "was weird." 

Weird and anti-climactic. The "tsunami" just sort of came out of nowhere. The courtyard where Kosuke had just confessed to me overlooked the water, but we had to be at least fifty meters above sea level, not to mention several kilometers from the coast. Yet it somehow managed to reach all the way up here...

"I guess it was just a rogue wave," he said as the water drained back out of the courtyard.

Did such things really happen? Rogue waves striking random people thousands of meters from the shoreline? I'd never heard of such a thing, but... 

I know how crazy this sounds, but I couldn't shake the feeling that that wave had somehow been meant for me. I mean, the really bizarre thing about it was that it's width—just wide enough to sweep away one exhausted teenage girl. Even if it ultimately failed to do so.

There weren't any alarms or sirens, screaming or other signs of panic. I would question if it ever even happened if my feet weren't soaking wet. 

Ugh! That was just what I needed on top of everything else—to endure soggy socks and shoes the rest of the day. I took them off, wrung them out as best I could, then set them out in the sun. 

I turned to find Kosuke staring at me. "Umm, can I help you?" I asked, wondering if he was one of those creeps with a foot fetish.

He flailed, as if he only just realized he was staring. "Sorry.. I just noticed you looked kind ragged. Are you okay?"

I felt a spark of rage as he said ragged, but let it go. "You only just noticed?" Here he was, confessing his love to me, without even looking me in the face first. Is that how he expected to get a favorable response?

"I'm sorry," he continued. "I shouldn't have—"

"It's okay, just forget it please."

He looked out across the ocean, pensive for a moment, before turning back to me. "Minori, I know I'm not worthy of you, but I want you to know, I'll always be here for you. And if you ever change your mind, I'll be waiting, right here."

He just didn't know when to quit... 

"And if I never change my mind?" I stressed the word to make it clear this was the most likely outcome.

"Then I'll be here for your, regardless," he answered without missing a beat.

Wow, I had to admit, the boy was committed. I almost wished I liked him in that way. But... I turned to gaze out across the sea. Honestly, I couldn't describe how I was feeling. "And what if... what if I'm the one who isn't here anymore?"

He frowned. "What do you mean?"

I looked back at him, debating whether I should tell anybody about the bizarre inklings I'd been getting lately. Ultimately I decided at least someone should know, just in case... "Do you ever get this sensation that your being pulled away somewhere?"

"Like, in the undertow?"

Hmmm... "No," I decided. It was my everyday life that was the undertow, dragging me along beneath the waves, whether I liked it or not. "It's more like being beckoned... or called..."

"Like your mother calling you for dinner?"

I sighed, "just forget it." This was pointless.

As I turned to go he seized hold of my wrist. "But just so you know, it doesn't matter."

"I'm sorry?" Was this his back up plan? The aggressive approach?

"Whether your here, or somewhere else. I'll still be by your side. If you're beckoned off somewhere else, then I'll follow you, to ends of the Earth," he looked me right in the eye and added: "and beyond."

I bursted out laughing. 

He flushed bright red. "What's so funny?!" he demanded, letting go of me.

"Kosuke, you're hopeless!" And cringe! But I kept that last part to myself. May as well let the boy dream, that's about all I could do for him.

The bell rang.

With a groan, I put my still soaking socks and shoes back on and squelched my way to biology class.

***

In the end it was the boredom that killed me. I know, right? I really thought it was going to be the tsunami, or the car at least. But just like everything else in my dull life, even my death was anti-climactic.

I was sitting in the lecture hall, listening to the teacher drone on about "floral morphogenesis" when I felt myself nodding off. I vaguely remembered a dull thump. 

Next thing I knew, I was being swaddled in those heavenly petals, listening to the atmospheric Fae music and hearing Puca give the introduction to the new adventurers of the Fae Alliance over and over again.

I know it was really the exhaustion that did it. In hindsight, it might not have been wise to continue my life as an overachiever with next to zero sleep, but it wasn't like I could just not play the game. 

I didn't mean to stay up all night, every night, I just never noticed the hours flying by me. So, call it destiny if you want. I certainly didn't see anyway of avoiding this outcome. And who knows, maybe I didn't even die, maybe I just hit my head when I fainted and fell into a deep coma.

Either way, I wasn't complaining. Now that I didn't have school, chores or an overbearing father to worry about, I could relax and focus on making dolls in peace. 

***

So, here I was, standing before Puca, shivering, naked and covered in goo.

"Now that you have chosen your Kraft, this introduction is complete. Please accept this gift, dear hero, may it serve you well in starting your journey."

Adventurer Starting Kit received.

Finally!

Hmm... I wonder how I'm supposed to open my... as soon as I thought the word inventory it opened before me. As expected, my "Adventurer Starting Kit" was the only item in there. I really hope it gives me something useful this time...

I selected it.

A small wooden chest appeared in my hands from a sparkling cloud of ephemeral dust. I opened it.

Each item I took out likewise vanished in a cloud of sparkle dust, either into my inventory, or to unused equipment slots. The first item was Moth Bitten Burlap Sack (2 armor). Yeah, it was exactly what it sounded like.

It appeared around my body, covering me from my chin, all the way down to my knees. It didn't give any stats other than the 2 armor—just enough to protect against the chill, and my questionably legal body from any sinister eyes...

Next was Gnarled Root (1-2 physical damage). Was this supposed to be my starting staff? It looked more like an Irish shillelagh, and didn't give any stats. But it was better than nothing.

Next were a few health and mana potions, nice.

A Grimoire... I couldn't survive without that. Among other things, it contained all my spells, maps and information about all the creatures I'd encounter.

Needle, and thread—I was definitely going to need that.

There was only one more item in the chest. 

I paused and took a deep breath before taking it out. Come on... something good... please give me some enchanted materials for my Kraft, or at least something valuable I can sell...

I reached my hand in and pulled out: Barely Used Fuzzy Socks (1 armor).

You've got to be kidding me.