Chapter Text
I woke up suddenly to a loud thud and muffled yelling. I think it's early morning but I'm not fully sure as this place has no windows. I slowly get up and look around my room some, realizing I didn't really examine it the previous night. It's a simple room of average size. Wooden walls and floors all around. I've got a large bed, a small nightstand and a medium size dresser, and a small shelf with some books on the history of this world on them. There's also a dim light and lamp but I pay them no mind. The yelling outside my room doesn't stop so I walk out to the small living area and my nose is immediately hit with a horrid stench. Standing in front of me is Cait, plugging her nose and arguing with a guy I don't recognize. He had messy black hair with dark purple tips, goggles on his head, and while he was wearing a large puffy jacket he had no pants. He looked greasy and tired and was obviously the source of the stench. The stench is also the reason Cait was yelling at him. She seemed to be trying to give him a shower and was waving a washcloth at him while keeping her nose closed. He on the other hand had crossed his arms and was refusing to even touch the rag she had offered. When the two of them noticed me the guy shrugged and walked into the kitchen and Cait walked over to me.
"Morning Fynn! Did you sleep well for your first night?" She casually questioned.
"I slept okay I think. What was going on with that guy?" I asked.
"Oh that's just Hollow. Don't mind him he's pretty rude." her face soured when she said his name and she rolled her eyes. "According to him showering is a waste of time thus why he stinks!" She widens her eyes, with a clearly annoyed smile and advises me to not go into the kitchen until Hollow goes back into his room.
I oddly don't feel too hungry despite not having eaten since I've woken up, so I go sit on the couch and just think about my situation. I can't believe all of this. I woke up in a place I don't recognize with no memories and got put in the comfiest prison I've ever heard of with a bunch of weird strangers. Now that I think about it though, I wonder how everyone else ended up here. I don't know anyone well enough to guess and I feel it would be insensitive to ask so I'll just hope to learn at some point.
Sitting with my thoughts bores me some so I get up and walk over to the bookshelf of the living room. I look through the books curious to find something interesting and I pull a random book out to flip through some pages. That's when I notice that behind the book was a rolled up piece of parchment. I gently grab it, putting the book down and unroll it as I walk back to the couch. The page is dirty and crumpled and at the top it says "Journey to Estilran". It's got a drawing of a large kingdom and text about it written all over the page. About how it's some sort of "paradise" at the edge of the abyss. This made me curious and I wanted to know if anyone else knew what this was. I got up and walked into the kitchen, trying to endure the stench to not offend hollow so I could maybe get an answer.
"Um hey man, you're Hollow right?" I put my hand up to wave and smile at him. My smile is met with a judgmental stare.
"Who are you?" He looks me up and down, closing the fridge and opening an energy drink. Makes me wonder how the food is delivered.
"I'm Fynn. I got here last night. I think it was last night anyway." I shrug and chuckle a bit, hoping to get him to maybe laugh a bit too. It seems to get him more annoyed.
Being this close to Hollow to talk really helps me notice more details. he's pretty short and his hair is unbelievably messy. His jacket is stained yet his goggles are in perfect condition. It also looks like he's maybe got some kind of thigh tattoo.
"What do you want?" He takes a sip of his drink, putting his other hand into his pocket and looking impatient. It makes me realize I was busy analyzing him and forgot to ask my question.
"Oh right! Um...do you know what e-esti-lrrann is?" I try to read off the page but I struggle and stutter through the whole word.
He sighs and roles his eyes before walking past me and bumping into my shoulder. I was going to say something but before I could retaliate to the unprovoked shove when he knocks on a door and yells:
"Rinny! The new roomie's got a question for ya!" He drags out the nickname as if to be annoying and then walks back into his room. After a few minutes of staring at the hallway dumbfounded, Erin comes out of her room, yawning and stretching and she walks up to me.
"What's up?" She blinks the sleep away from her eyes and looks at me, confused.
"S-sorry I don't know why he woke you I just had a question." I nervously hand her the paper and watch as her eyes light up. She grabs me by the sleeve and leads me to sit back on the couch.
"Where did you find this?!" She asks excitedly and shocked. I nervously point to the bookshelf, confused about what this paper means.
"Fynn, this is the map to Estilran! It's real!" She paces back and forth in front of me, so happy you wouldn't even know she had just woken up. "We've gotta call the others!"
After the other three members of the house are finally brought to the living room, Erin shows the paper to everybody.
"See! I told you all it's real! Estilran is real!" She looks like she'll start jumping if she doesn't contain herself and her excited behavior is met with a groan from the rest of our housemates. I nervously raise my hand to get her attention.
"Um, what exactly is Estilran?" I ask, feeling clueless.
"Estilran is a kingdom rumored to be so perfect that it's like a paradise. All of the people there are kind, the plants always thrive, the weather is perfect, and the food, water and air is clean and amazing! This means it's real! I knew it!" She yells with a big smile on her face, but is then interrupted by Cait.
"Erin come on think about this, our world has been destroyed. There is no way there would be some "magical special paradise" just sitting around." She talks gently as if sparing Erin's feelings and she uses air quotes when referring to Estilran. Soon enough Hollow jumps into the conversation too.
"Yea Rinny, I know you like to be hopeful and stuff but that's just unrealistic. Even if it existed how would you find it? Isn't it hidden or something?" He leans his head against the wall next to the couch and stares at her, waiting for an answer.
"We cooould find it with this map!" She holds the page high into the air when her smile drops and she realizes something. "The map is torn. The map is torn!" It's unclear if she was upset or happy. Maybe a mix of both.
"And?" Hollow replied dryly.
"This means someone tore it to hide it! Further proof! We've gotta go! Think of how much better our lives will be!" She yells at all four of us, eager to convince everyone.
Ben groans and shakes his head. Cait sighs and looks down. Hollow sits in silence before talking again.
"Erin come on. Even if we try to break out and find it then what? We could get captured or worse! Not to mention that we may never find it if it is real!" He looks at her with genuine concern and gestures to the door while making his point.
"So are you all happy here?" I interject and everyone looks over at me, going quietly. "I just mean if we leave wouldn't that be better than being stuck here?" I look to the side and get a bit quieter as I feel their judgmental stares glued to me.
They all exchange glances and quiet murmurs about the question like I made them uncomfortable.
"I guess I would like to leave but this Estilran thing is a bit much..." Cait responds,tucking some hair behind her ear.
"I've never actually thought about leaving. It could be fun I guess." Hollow shrugs.
"So then lets leave! While on our journey you guys can leave whenever you want! You can deal with or see anyone I won't care! Just come with me! Please!" She pleads to everyone on the couch, clenching the map in her fist.
They all sit and think more. Contemplating what I assume are their own reasons for leaving or staying when finally__
"You know what. Sure. I'll go." Cait crosses her arms and smiles at Erin. "Only because you'll need my help though."
"I'll go too, Rinny. I've got nothing here anyway." Hollow sighs and looks to the wall to hide his gaze.
Ben stands up and starts walking back to the rooms.
"I can't let you kids go out there alone. I'll go too." He walks back to his room as he finishes his sentence.
They all turn their gazes to me and with a smile Erin asks if I'll go too. I woke up in this city with no memories and a jacket from a place I know nothing about. If I don't leave now I may never learn what's going on.
"Yea, I'll go." I nod and smile reassuringly.
Everyone gives small cheers as they go to their rooms to pack and plan. Tomorrow we leave. Tomorrow we start our journey. Tomorrow we go
Into the abyss.