“I know I said that I wished our meetings were more on, however I didn’t mean you should attempt to kill yourself through arrogance, young miss…” I woke up to an all too familiar (eloquent) voice with an usual hint of tiredness behind them; something I wouldn’t have expected with how strong they seemed.Opening up my eyes revealed that the familiarly bespeckled - yet still unnamed - androgynus… Actually, I don’t even know if they are human, a spirit, a demon or something else entirely. I am not even sure if they are male or female (or anything iween) without sidering if their race even has ventional mating rituals that would require such a division. There is basically nothing I know about them - except I sider them my psychiatrist - which is a very strahought sidering they keep kidnappihankfully I at least figured out how they were ‘hearing my thoughts’ thanks to reading that linguistics book that mommy had left me. Apparently all “fae” speak using their mind rather thaongue. Fae being the catch-all term for entities that typically inate from ‘words’ ected yet still not oh the mortal realm - no clue what that actually means but I read about it.All I know about is the “Spirit World” & “Dreamscape”, though admittedly only through rumours & myths recorded in my previous life, so I only imagi refers to non-corporeal entities. Would demons or elementals also t as fae-kin? No, now is not the time to sider such matters, sidering I have no idea where I am and am currently still silently staring at the psychologist. Is there a differeween a psychologist & psychiatrist? Bad Armor-Cordis Porshi; focus on what’s in front of you. “Personally I would argue that this had nothing to do with my own arrogance - plus it was not as if the shooter was aiming for me.” Challenging what the figure had said to me; something which got the person to lift a hand to readjust their gsses with a faint frown. Not an angry frown but one which more dispyed a worry for my ignorance. A look I still didn’t like (if not one I do anything about),Taking this time to look around the room revealed that I wasn’t somewhere I particurly reised, certainly not looking anything like the train I usually met them on.A bnd white room with some simple medical equipment located around (having an on-suite bathroom as I would expect from a private room) with the room being maybe a little more cream than white. What was more surprising was the presence of another far shure. Despite looking at them I couldn’t seem to actually uand any definiails about them - almost as if I was looking at them through satinised gss - even though there was no blur.There was a strong st of alcohol ing from them, though.I did not have long to think about that as that articute voitered my ears once more. “On the trary, young spirit, it was you who decided to appear out in the open without having any security that you would be able to take care of things. To the point you o rely on a faulty ued product without eveioning how you had to use… That.” They didn’t expin what “that” was but teasing poked the tre of my forehead; exactly where the pinkish gem that was located there.“There is a proverb that ‘three things ot be long hidden: the sun, the moon, and the truth’ which this little monk finds appropriate; I do not think it is gruous to ceal the little one's otitude.” That mysterious figure spoke, yet even their voice sounded as if it yed through an old television from the 20th tury. Still, they didn’t fet to turn to me, giving a small bow with a quaint “namaste”.It seemed that I was no longer part of the versation as the silver-tongued figure turo the seemingly buddhist one. “While I respect you a lot, my friend, you are aware that she just injured her soul despite not even having suowledge-” What?“-imagine how much worse it would bee if she learned about such a skill? I am highly doubtful she will not ignore any warnings I give - especially when it bees an easy solution to her troubles - so it would be better not to inform her of such yet.” Shaking their head while letting out a long drawn out sigh.“That is true, they may indeed make an imprudent choice, but is it not their choiake?” So the, quite literally, small monk answered while shaking their head. “Is it not you who believes the most iing everyone have the same level of choi their lives? Borrowing a phrase ‘if anything is worth doing, do it with all your heart’ my friend.”Although risky, these entities could probably erase me with a thought, I also decided to use this as a ce to push for more information as I would likely not get another ce. “They are correct, you know, my mommy always said there is no iwee es to doing and n.”That made the bespeckled figure lift an eyebrow - thankfully they didn’t seem overly angry at me speaking against their own choice. Oher hand, the sed figure seemed to pull a gourd from their waist which they promptly pced against their face. Probably drinking all the tents inside if the sounds were anything to go by.“Aissss~...” A long sigh left from those perfectly shaped lips as they actually removed their gsses with their bae. Seemingly massaging their eyes with their right hand succeeding their right pushing their spectacles up to their forehead - making me wonder if I’ll ever get the ce to see their face without those very obsg lenses in the way.It seemingly took them a moment to get themselves back together, having their gsses fall back over their eyes, before turning around to look at me once more. “I will admit that you at least deserve to uand what exactly happeo you; I will reserve my choi telling you more for now.”Certainly more promising than knowing nothing; making me just nod along.“What you used to put a certain… Pressure on the user - that pressure was far beyond what someo your level could hahus I couldn’t hahe repairs remotely. To be more specific, your immature soul was colpsing, so I asked my best friend to help me go uhe radar.” This caused me to turn to look toward the anonymous monk - them lifting a gourd which made me think… Aren’t Buddhists supposed to not drink?“It is very hard for people my strength to wander between different realms and dimensions without being discovered by their various owners; even others from outside may realise. Fortunately my friend here was avaible - so I was able to e and repair your soul.” From there they began shaking their head. “But we ot exactly rely on the good graces of someone who has no obligations to help us, now we, my young mistress?” Although I had tue that I knew no obligations they had to me either… It certainly would be foolish to assume someone would go out their way to help me. That buddhist couldn’t help speaking up once more (though with a weird ugh). “Atatahaha~ o agonise so much, little ohis friend here is underselling their own talents. They are able to cross over dimensions with no sequehey probably do so discreetly enough to escape most peoples gazes - I am only here for reassuranot to mention, they are one of three people who cim to have a perfederstanding of the soul!” While saying that they lifted and then put on my face the white cowboy-style hat that mother had got me as a reward; when you are rich gift giving bees a little different I suppose. “Don’t spoil the girl Zandman… This is an important lesson, she o know that she ’t let her pride get ahead of her, the st thing any of us want is her untimely end after all. She must be aware of the possible ramifications that reckless power usage could cause - she isn’t strong enough to tap into that bloodline right now.” At least I know one of their ill, the impish individual didn’t seem to have the same opinion, speaking up in their jolly fashion, to once more challehem. “Then the child just o get stronger and there just so happens to be someohin this realm, this very p in fact, that help them.”“No.” It was a surprisingly firm reje but I couldn’t help asking. “What do they mean that I find someone in this world that help me; it is not as if I y resources to find or persuade ahat is not already in a rival family.” Surprisingly it was “Zandman” that disagreed with me. “Not quite… You see, although your mother is very gifted when it es to martial arts, she isn’t used to using that hand scythe of yours and it is unfortunately quite the rare on. They therefore didn’t teach you anything that is special.”I see where this is going now.“That doesn’t mean that anyone who dedicates their life to it actually beat her; there is only one person I would sider greater no matter the on.”“But they are also far too uable to put our hopes in them as they-” Just as I was about to learn something fasating, the sound of my family (more accurately the sound of Alexis as the rest try to subdue her) echoed from the outside, causio sigh.Sure enough - the two figures vanished into a bunch of ripples in space. “I advocate you endeavour to that ‘soul grasp’ of your’s to orchestrate your own soul; you are a spirit!”That line was the st thing I heard before the door slid open.