A/N: Hello~ Here's to the start of a new arc! Finally on arc #7!!!! The title to the arc will be revealed on the (V) part. Also... I'll be quite busy with the babies the entire day, so I'm releasing it earlier than later~!
Just a heads up that this arc will have a HE and not a BE... Aren't you happy that I'm trying to be nice? Trying to not kill my child again~? I want to thank you guys for reading, commenting, and voting! Without any further ado~ Here we go~
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*gasp* Ains clutched his chest as he rolled in agony. He was heavily breathing as his brows were knitted together. He really had cut it very close, he was one step from being eliminated. His body had become very transparent and looked like fragile glass that could shatter at a touch.
Bao Bao was flustered at his side as he was looking through that damnable manual. He had never read so much or so fast before in his life It took him a few minutes before he stumbled upon what he was looking for. Bao Bao gripped onto Ains. [Host, Bao Bao will have to send you back to your world to recover. Host is at a very critical stage right now and could collapse. Bao Bao read that your soul should recover faster if you return as your body is more used to that energy.]
Ains opened his eyes and looked at Bao Bao, a dim light flashed in his eyes but Bao Bao wasn't able to see it from being so flustered. He did not say anything and closed his eyes. Bao Bao thought that Ains was worried about not being able to come back and assured him. [Host, don't worry. Bao Bao will come back for you after a day! Our contract still stands, we're only parting for a little bit! You're Bao Bao's baby. Bao Bao will summon your soul back here.]
Ains smiled amidst his pain. It's not that I'm worried that I won't be able to come back... It's just by the time it comes for you to call me...
Bao Bao didn't wait any longer and started the procedure to send back Ains' soul. Ains opened his eyes just so he could imprint Bao Bao into his heart. His first system and his first friend, the only one who had accompanied him through this journey and helped him along the way. He whispered, "Goodbye, Bao Bao."
The light took Ains away and Bao Bao looked confused. This was the first time that Bao Bao had heard his host call his name. He looked at his hands with confusion. Why would Ains bid him farewell? Did his host misunderstand him? Did he think that he sent him away? Bao Bao rubbed his hands nervously, he would have to explain to clear up the misunderstanding.
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In a pure white room, the loud sobs of someone crying could be heard. The once pristine and flawless room was now covered in cracks and was in a state of dilapidation. A mere shadow of what it was originally. The small blonde elf was crying as he touched the non moving pale bluish silver haired boy, whose body was riddled with numerous injuries. There were strange inscriptions that were carved in his skin, all over his body. He looked extremely pale, almost translucent like. It gave off a eerie but elegant charm.
The young elf's face was riddled with self blame.
[If only Bao Bao hadn't sent you back. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry.]
Bao Bao kept blaming himself as he held onto Ains. His eyes were puffy and red.
When he called upon Ains' soul after a whole day, he had come back in this state. His body was marred with weird inscriptions and he had been rendered unconscious. Bao Bao caught his host as he fell and was shocked from how much of his soul was left. His back had been covered in cold sweat. Just a little later and Ains would have really ceased to exist.
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His host had been asleep for over a month now and showed no signs of awakening. Bao Bao had been at his side, watching over him. He hadn't moved since his return. At first he thought that Ains would wake up within two weeks, but he was wrong. The days slowly slipped by and Ains continued to sleep.
At the moment, Ains was in critical condition. He had less than 1% of his soul left, and he had been put into a coma as a last resort to preserve what very little he had left.
Bao Bao got up from lying next to Ains and felt like crying. He held back his tears. Bao Bao needs to atone for his sins. Bao Bao sent host to his death... Bao Bao should've asked host first. Bao Bao can't be like a cry baby anymore. Bao Bao needs to grow up so host can rely on Bao Bao some more. Bao Bao will become host's strength so that host can live happily. Bao Bao tried to cheer himself up as much as he could, but the admission of guilt was rooted deep in his heart.
From that day forth, Bao Bao rarely left his space. He would study from the manual and would only leave to talk to his jie jie. Other than that he stayed by Ains' side and talked to him about anything, how his day went, what he studied today, what he found was funny, their memories, about Ains' lover, his grandchild, and what he had repeated the most; his apology. He would continually profess his guilt of sending Ains back home.
By the time Bao Bao knew it, a thousand years had passed since Ains entered into a coma. Day by day, Bao Bao's enthusiasm at seeing his host wake up, dwindled down to the point where it was almost completely gone. If worst comes to worst, Bao Bao would trade his life to wake up Ains. He had read the whole manual and studied diligently. Even if things were difficult for him to understand, he pushed himself to become better so that a mistake like before would never happen again.
Because the systems are unable to access their host's history, Bao Bao had no idea how bad Ains' past was. They had restricted it so that the systems would not become sympathetic and get taken advantage of by their host. A second reason was because many of the hosts would complain about having their privacy invaded. It had occurred too many times in their history and now it was abolished. He often lamented on the fact that he was too cowardly to ask his host on his past.
Today, he had an appointment with his jie jie and would go out to see them. He made sure that Ains was securely tucked in and had everything that he would need in case he woke up before he returned.
Each system had a personal space where they would reside with their hosts, that was where Ains was in. Outside of it was a large community of stores, bars, places to hangout, etc. There was designated areas where they would be transported to once they exited their private space. Many systems would come out of their space and interact with each others out here or get tips. They could also bring out their hosts to wander around. Bao Bao couldn't bring Ains out here.... He feared what would happen to him, the treatment that he would receive. Bao Bao had suffered through it and didn't want Ains to get dragged into it because of him. But it could also be said that Ains didn't have much interest in what lies outside of their space.
Outside in the community was also where the administrators the watches over the systems progress could be found. A society that encompassed the crazy world of the systems.
Bao Bao was supposed to meet up with his jie jie before they left. Bao Bao had on a black v neck long sleeved sweater with white designs, khaki pants, and grey shoes. His hair had two braids that traveled to the back of his head and tied together by a gold string. His eyes were no longer like that of a child as he looked more mature now. He also smiled and laughed less often, keeping a deadpan face on more now.
He was walking over to the meeting point, a large fountain was in the middle of the community square.
Upon getting there, Bao Bao felt some stares coming at him and heard some whispers, but he learned how to not care about it anymore. He sat on the edge of the fountain and looked down at his feet. His mind was thinking of what to do while he waited for Ains to wake up, what he would say to him once he did wake up, and what he wanted to talk to Ains about afterward.
A quarter of an hour passed by since the appointed time. As he continued to let his mind wander around, two feet suddenly came into view. Bao Bao couldn't recognize the owner of the shoes and looked up to see who it was. For the first time in over a thousand years, Bao Bao revealed a look of surprise. He muttered. "You... How can it be you?"
YOU ARE READING
Chasing You (Arcs 1-7)
Fantasy"Do you want to live?" "If so, sign a contact with me." The young man gazes up with a faint smile on his face, "Yes." The young man didn't care who it was that he'd struck a deal with. Even if it was the devil or a God, he would have agreed. Whatev...
