Where It All Began

Day 15

It was almost 6pm. Hato was already waiting at the rendezvous point. He received a message from Guild that Ayane might be a bit late. He only hoped that she will actually show up. Otherwise, he would have to throw everything to the bin, what he has accomplished so far, and start things from the beginning. He knew that he could sound shady to her, but he, certainly, didn’t have anything bad in mind. Yet, it was enough to scare her. But it didn’t.

She actually did show up. Hato seeing her felt relieved as, even if she said she will come, he had doubts.

“Thank you for coming.” he said.

“I did say that I’ll come, didn’t I?”

“I know, but, thank you anyway.”

She noticed that he was holding something. It looked like a fabric.

“What is that?” she asked while looking at it.

Hato handed one fabric to her, he kept other one to himself.

“Can I ask you to wear that?”

Hotaru had a closer look on fabric. It looked like a simple coat with hood. It could cover her up to her knees. It was a red flag for her, so she had a second thought of actually going anywhere with him.

Hato had already in mind her reaction and decided to reassure her once more. “I know how it looks like, but nothing serious will happen. Those are for safety reason only. If even something will happen, I’ll take full responsibility.”

That wasn’t reassuring at all for her. What’s more, mentioning “safety” and “nothing will happen” made it even more suspicious.

Hato couldn’t think of anything else to not make her change her mind.

‘Guess only one thing left.’

He sighed. “I’m prepared to have my tongue cut off if I won’t keep my word.” he said that in a way that would leave no doubt of his intentions.

“What?” she nervously laughed as she saw that ridiculous and thought he was joking. She looked at him once more. He wasn’t laughing at all, nor smiling.

‘He’s deadly serious.’

By her reaction, it could be said that it worked.

She looked once more on a coat to make a final decision. She decided to put it on.

“Thank you, Hotaru-san.” he replied to that.

“Please, stop with that.” his politeness was getting Hotaru a bit awkward.

After both of them got ready, girl asked him.

„So, where are we going?”

„You’ll see. Follow me, please.”

With not much to say while already agreeing to go with him, she left the doubts behind and just went after him.

It was weekend, so town was very lively. Streets were full of passing people, it was easy to get lost, if you didn’t know where to go. Hotaru started to get further from Hato as she tried to pass through people. Also, hood was enough big to cover the upper part of what she was able to see. In short words, she couldn’t see if she was still following Hato or someone else already.

He had a feeling to look behind if she was still there as place was crowded. He noticed she was behind, trying to catch up. He waited for her.

„It will be easy to lose ourselves in this mess.” he said that and pulled his hand. „You mind? We need to stay close, at least for some time.”

Without further thinking she gave him her hand and they continued to go.

„Emm... Don’t we stand out with those capes?” Hotaru whispered worried.

„Nah, it’s not uncommon, so don’t worry.” Hato responded whispering.

She couldn’t see well, but what Hato has said, was true. There were people wearing same thing as them among the crowd.

At some point they turned into alleys and were going through them. She didn’t know the town enough good to say where they were heading. She only hoped that Hato wasn’t trying to deceive her. They reached certain building and went inside.

„Keep your head a bit down.” he whispered.

She did as he said. She thought they reached the destination, but Hato was still going. Suddenly, her hand started to feel weird, then rest of body followed. It was like she was touching something, but, at the same time she didn’t. Very shortly, this feeling disappeared.

‘That was... odd.’

They left the building and were outside again, but...

She couldn’t recognise their whereabouts at all. Surface of street was completely different than the one in Nagato. She was still keeping her head down so she couldn’t look around. After few minutes Hato spoke.

„We’re close.” he said that with his normal voice.

„Can I straight my head now?”

„Can you keep it like that till we got there?” he asked politely.

„I can, but, not for long.” her neck was getting sore.

„Thank you, we will be there in a minute.”

‘He’s too polite.’

As man said, they got to another building, this time, the destined one. Few steps later, Hato stopped, so did Hotaru. She didn’t know what to expect. She was extremely nervous.

He noticed he took of hood and faced towards her right side.

„So, whom did you bring with you?” an unknown voice asked, it was a man; it got girl more nervous.

„A person, as you can see.” Hato responded.

„Obviously we can’t see, you dumbass, when they’re all covered!” another male voice responded.

„You don’t have to keep your head down.” Hato turned to girl half-whispering. „Same as you can look around.”

She straighten her head and slowly turned her head in same direction Hato was standing to. Because of the nerves, she was doing it bit by bit. As she was doing that, she noticed people sitting by tables. There were plenty of them, around 30. Men, women, humans, non-humans. They were all different. She didn’t know what was going on. Why all of these people were here? What is the purpose of being her here? She would receive her answers not long after.

„A woman?” someone said.

Some people were whispering with each other, but Hotaru couldn’t hear what about.

„Whom else he could bring if not a woman?” the second male voice said irreverently; some people started laughing.

„Shut it, you moron.” Hato responded angrily; another salvo of laughter appeared.

„Gender doesn’t really matter in this case.” the first voice said, it belonged to a tall blonde man, who was sitting the closest to Hato and Hotaru. „I believe that you have checked her abilities thoroughly.”

„I did.” Hato responded; he seemed to have a respect to the man. „Otherwise, I wouldn’t bring her here.”

„True.” meanwhile something has jumped to the table by which blonde man was sitting. „The question is – does she know?”

„No, I haven’t said anything yet. I thought it would be better to explain everything now.”

Finally things were going in a right direction for girl.

„To explain what?” Hotaru asked Hato.

He sighed and responded. „Why are you here.” after a second he added. „Have you had a look on lore or no?”

„I did. What does it have in common with this situation?”

„A lot.”

„If she knows that much, then we can start from that.” blonde one joined. „According to our knowledge, a world end will happen next September. Officially, people who created this world didn’t give more information about the reason. However, we know the exact reason for that. They want to get a rid of us, as they see us as a danger.”

„Sorry for interrupting you.” Hotaru intruded. „I think I didn’t catch what you have said. What do you mean by us?”

„AI.” he answered after a moment. „I believe that’s how you would call us. With a significant difference of us being more human-like. We are aware who we are, what we are, where we are and what is currently going on, without a knowledge of your world.

We are fully conscious and have free will.”

Hotaru couldn’t believe her own ears. What man has said sounded so unreal, unbelievable for her, that she couldn’t comprehend it. She looked at him with disbelief, then she turned to Hato, but he looked away. Everyone else kept seriousness of the situation.

‘Wait... What? But... How did he know?’

She turned to Hato. „B-but, how did you know about the game function, skills-”

„Someone gave me the info I needed to be able to communicate with you. I knew nothing before that.”

She was speechless. She thought the whole time that he was a player like her. She would have never thought that the truth was different. She was dumbstrucked. On the one hand, he admitted that, but not straightforward. On the other – she was interacting with him as with any other person. What’s more, when he was holding her, her hand, she could sense warmth going from him. Same with his grip, reactions, anything else. Everything was telling that he’s in 100% a player. That’s why it was so surreal for her.

„That’s why I wanted to wait with explanation. I bet that you’ve have thought that either a) I’m mental or b) I’m mental.”

„Yeah, I think so too... Sorry, I’m just...”

„It’s alright.” blonde man reassured her. „We've been in a similar shock when we got to know that there are similar beings to us from different world in ours.”

„Right...” after a few seconds she asked. „So, what is the purpose of me being here after all?”

„As I mentioned, people who are responsible for this world got to know about us, that we’re thinking beings. They see us as a potential threat as we’re autonomous and unpredictable because of that. To be honest, I don’t know what they’re thinking we can do. Anyway, they came up with an idea of the event,” he showed the quoting gestures on that specific word. „after which they will implement less advanced AI, which will make us... a puppets, I guess. Without a free will.

We’ve been thinking what can we do to prevent that since we don’t want this to happen, obviously. We don’t have much information about it, but, what is certain, it will be a battle of unmeasurable scale. Therefore, whoever is able to fight, wants to join to fight for our independence. There is a theory that if their plan will fail, then there is a chance nothing will happen, but I don’t buy it. Thus, another idea has born, but besides idea we have nothing so far.

You may wonder where are you in this whole mess. I’ll explain then. Players, like you, have a great potential for growing. You’re able to learn things much faster. I saw people handling swords like they were training for years while they barely just grabbed it.

We don’t know how strong the enemy will be, but we are preparing for the worst. We have quite the number of powerful people here. We tried to establish groups in which we would work, but...

Let’s say that opinions on who should lead the group varies and we can’t get along at all.

Thus, we want to ask you to take this role. If you are okay with that, of course.”

‘Say what?’ she asked herself. ‘Huh?’

„What? Me? Leading the group?”

„Yes.”

„Uh... I mean, first of all, I’m not very strong-"

„You don’t have to worry about that as this room is filled with such people. We’re looking for a person that will be able to make these people co-operate.” then he added. „I believe that Hato didn’t bring you here without a reason. As he is the one responsible for, um, let’s say recruitment.”

Hotaru looked at Hato.

‘A reason? I wonder what caused him to ask me for that.’

„I can vouch for her. I saw myself what she’s capable of.” Hato responded.

‘Huh? What is he talking about?’

Then she put everything together. Why he decided to help with beating Lizard, his passivity throughout that time.

‘Was it all to just check me? But what did he want to check exactly?’

„I do trust you.” man said to Hato. „Going back to topic. We’re not expecting from you to be strong, but if you wish to grow, then naturally we will help you as much as we can. Nevertheless, the decision is yours to make. We won’t force you to anything.”

Hotaru had to think carefully as this was a life-changing decisions. She still wasn’t sure what to think about this whole situation. First, them being AI, then being asked to be a leader of group and to, potentially, fight against much tougher monsters. She was a young girl with absolutely no experience in any of these. Most people in room were older than her, not to mention battle experience.

They gave her freedom of choice, but what if she would refuse?

„May I ask what will happen if I’ll refuse?”

„If it will be your decision, then we would have to make you forget what has happened here. It is necessary, for your own and our safety.”

‘They are able to do that?! Uhh...’ that info frightened her a bit; they were certainly no ordinary people.

„I see... What if I’ll agree?”

„Then we will proceed with further steps, of course.”

„Well, from what I understood, I think it will require me to be present most of the day, but I do have my own duties I can’t skip, also, the gear I’m using to play won’t allow me to be online for more than 4 hours since after that time it would affect my body.”

„I understand that, but we have a solution for that, so you don’t have to worry.”

It intrigued Hotaru as she couldn’t think of anything regarding that matter. She was curious what he meant by that.

„Hotaru-san,” Hato turned to her. „I don’t want you to feel pressured in making a decision. Whatever that might be, we will respect it.”

‘He’s so nice that I’d feel awful for not agreeing for that, but, one thing is still nagging me.’

After a few seconds, in which she thought if she should ask about the mentioned solution, she finally spoke.

“Umm... When you mentioned that you have a solution, what did you have in mind exactly?” she asked the man.

He glanced at Hato, as he wasn’t sure if he should tell her or no, but, she knew, more or less, about everything, so telling her about that should be okay. Besides, it would be beneficial to be fair towards her.

“I have in mind that it will be another ridiculous thing that you’ll hear today, but... As we will need you to be present most of the time and under current circumstances it will be impossible, we will need to get you here. Directly.”

While Hotaru was proceeding the information, an idea came to her mind. The more she thought about it, the more it had sense to what man just said.

‘Wait... Isn’t it sounds like... Summoning?’ she couldn’t find anything else that would fit better than that. ‘Summoning... Wait a minute. I’m going to be isekai’d there?!’

She now had a express debate of pros and cons of that. Obviously, it had much more pros than cons. Who wouldn’t want to experience life in a completely different world while they have an opportunity to do that? On the other hand, risking your own life, even for a better cause, gives doubt to go for it. For Hotaru, there was another thing to include while considering her choice. She didn’t have to think much about it.

She already made her choice.