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— My, what an interesting start to this new life, friend!
‘How will fate bring us both together, I wonder?’
Braun woke up in a cage. An assortment of creepy creatures, both living and not, were similarly displayed alongside assortments of voodoo-like items.
Heavens, he hopes he doesn't look as unsightly as some of the items here.
Braun's good friend never really did like creepy things.
Hm..
Looking down at himself, he seemed to be in a plush body.
Exerting a bit of his power to look at himself, it confirmed his suspensions.
— Ah, a bunny plush again! How wonderful! A bit dirty, but a good bath will clean me right up!
Though ‘this’ Braun didn't remember the full extent of all the lives he has lived alongside ■■■ ■■■■■■, he still retained enough knowledge to feel familiar in this kind of body.
He could deduce from this that this Kim Soleum probably needed a good friend by his side.
His friend suffered so much sometimes. It always hurt this Braun to hear and witness, but as ■■■ ■■■■■■’s good friend, he will remain by his side to help however he can.
Braun didn't worry over the fact that he currently couldn't remember the name of his most important person.
The moment he saw his friend, Braun knew he would remember.
It's just a matter of time.
A jingle of a door was heard.
A hooded figure entered.
The hooded figure looked around.. and then those piercing black eyes, with an unnatural red hue in the pupil, stared directly at Braun.
Then they glanced away. The customer headed directly towards the shop keeper.
‘Ah..’
His name is Kim Soleum
Thrill lit his conscience. It felt like fireworks were blowing up, urging him loudly that yes! It's him, that's him! That's your good friend! Kim Soleum!
“I need a familiar or.. something, to help me get out of sticky situations.”
Kim Soleum spoke carefully.
Ah! How interesting!! His friend needed to run away? From who or what? This Braun needed to know!
“I'll get you something. Wait here and don't touch ‘nothing.” The store owner gruffed out. Not even bothering to be polite as he looked through his items and then stepped foot on the back of his store.
How rude! 1/10 customer service.
Ah well. Braun could comment on it later.
It was now time to test if Kim Soleum could hear him.
Let's see.. should he get straight to the point or make idle chat to build a proper narrative?
Observing how nervous Kim Soleum looked, almost as if ready to bolt, Braun quickly assessed neither of them had that much time for pleasantries right now.
Ah.. it seems this Braun will have to cut straight to the chase.
He'll think of a different way to catch Kim Soleum's attention if this doesn't work.
‘Ahem.’
— If being unnoticed is all you ask, I might have exactly what you need.
Braun watched Kim Soleum lightly startle and look back in fear.
His eyes landed on Braun's plush body.
Braun would smile if he could.
— Yes! This lovely cute bunny plush is the one speaking to you. Oh, how wonderful it is for someone to hear me!
Kim Soleum looked hesitant and weary, yet that small hint of careful curiosity he noticed was all Braun needed to work with.
Kim Soleum stepped closer.
“How can you help me?”
— Well, before I possessed this tiny plush form, I was a bit of a host in my own right..
“Get to the point.”
— My! So harsh.. Well, if you insist.
They must really be in a time crunch if his good friend is looking for an immediate solution without hearing the reason it's even possible!
— This Braun can ‘turn the spotlight off’ from you, so to speak.
“..?”
— I can make you go unnoticed. That's what you need, right? To hide in plain sight?
“...”
The store owner came back with speed enhancing familiars, charms that blew up.. etc etc.
Braun didn't bother listening.
All of them looked terrifying, and no matter how useful, he knew Kim Soleum would choose none of them if a more appealing option presented itself.
“... and that one?”
Kim Soleum pointed at Braun.
See? This Braun is already being considered! He might as well be as good as picked!
“Ah, that one?” The store owner looked troubled. “That one's no good.” He shook his head.
— Excuse me, this Braun is perfectly functional and useful!
“It always comes back for some reason. It gets bought? Poof! Back in that cage.”
Hm, strange..
Ah, yes.
Braun can remember something like that.
It takes time for Braun's conscience to insert itself into something like a plush body with no autonomy. So the instinct to ‘not get taken' and ‘wait where fate lay’ is the first thing this Braun is tasked with.
Only then can his glowing personality shine through!
— I never consented to be taken until now. Hmph! That store owner should think about the feelings of the things he sells, don't you think?
If Braun could have crossed his arms, and further expressed himself in his stuffed body, he would have.
But he can't. Not in broad daylight where someone else can see.
His everything is for Kim Soleum and Kim Soleum alone, after all.
His good friend hesitates, but still asks how much Braun cost.
“Three bronze coins. Don't want you complaining if it suddenly disappears after you buy it.”
“...”
— This Braun will definitely not abandon you! Don't be fooled by my low price, as I am definitely worth more than three bronze coins.
It seemed Kim Soleum was already learning how to ignore his chatter.
Well, that's fine. He still knows, deep down, his good friend will again learn to find comfort in his constant chatter.
“..Can I hold it to get a better look?”
“Suit yourself.” The store owner shrugged. Going over to unlock the cage. Proceeding to grab Braun with a little too much strength.
— Don't grab me so harshly!
But the store owner wasn't able to listen to Braun's complaints, and handed him over to Kim Soleum without much fanfare.
— So rude!
Braun huffed.
Kim Soleum remained silent as he stared intently.
Quite the intoxicating stare! It took all of Braun's willpower to not tell his good friend to look at him forever like that.
Ah.. he wonders how they'll become lovers in this world.
This stuffed body won't do. He'll need to learn how to acquire strength so he can reveal himself in his true form too.
But that's for the future.
And sometimes, it didn’t quite happen.
Kim Soleum sometimes only wanted a friend. But the moments when he craved something more..
Well.
“Am I the only one that can hear you..?” His friend whispered quietly. Breaking Braun away from his thoughts.
— It appears so!
“Will you.. really help me?”
— Of course! I don't take my promises lightly.
“...” Kim Soleum nervously looked outside and pulled his hood over his eyes.
“Then prove it.” He mumbled. “Right now. As fast as possible.” Kim Soleum looked outside again, panicked.
Braun didn't need to be told twice.
He turned the spotlight off from Kim Soleum, and in that moment? To others, it was like he had never existed in that shop.
“What the—” The store owner balked, but soon enough, guards were barging in.
“FREEZE!! We are searching for a dangerous mage suspected to have assassinated the King! Have you seen this man?”
It showed Kim Soleum's face.
‘Mage? Is this a kind of fantasy world? Is his good friend a really strong mage?’
— How the plot thickens!!
Braun was ecstatic! What adventures has his dear friend been up to without him??
Kim Soleum just stood in place, holding Braun close to his chest.
Braun could feel the hard thump thump thump of his friend's heart.
Ah.. a lovely sound.
Braun had missed that sound more than simple words can express.
“That bastard just stole from me and dissappeared!!” The store owner angrily yelled out. “A mage!! Ugh! Should have known..” the store owner grumbled the rest.
The guards seemed agitated. Asking for more details as a few talked amongst themselves and began running out the store.
Braun felt like this was the perfect time to add something.
— Careful friend! The spotlight is off, but that doesn't mean you still aren't there. Move freely, but carefully. As much as going to jail sounds like an adventure of itself, I'd much rather witness a chase scene!
With the way his good friend tensed, he knew there was something about what he said he didn't quite like, but chose to remain silent about.
Instead, Braun felt Kim Soleum nod and hold him a bit tightly. Carefully rushing around the guards and running out the door that had been left open by the other guards that were now running around the place.
Trying to “catch” Kim Soleum before “he got any further away.”
The fools didn't know his good friend was hidden right under their noses!
‘Huhu~’
“Hoo..” Kim Soleum sighed in relief. Running away with a new swiftness that surprised the show host.
— You'll have to tell me all about your travels and how a mage like yourself learned to be as swift as an assassin, friend!
“I..” Kim Soleum paused. “I'll tell you later.”
Hmm.
— After all the help I've given you, it's the least you could do for me. No?
“...”
Braun let the silence linger for a bit, knowing his friend needed a moment to think things through.
Kim Soleum was truly lucky. Could there be a more considerate friend than Braun?
— Ah, right! What should I call you?
Braun already knew. If there was one constant across all worlds, it was that Kim Soleum would always be called that.
But if he recalled correctly, his friend never quite liked the fact he knew his name early on.
How complicated!
After a moment of silence, his good friend finally answered.
“Kim Soleum.”
Nicely done!
— Mr. Soleum, you can call this new companion of yours Braun! May we experience thrilling and exciting adventures together from now on!
“..Nice to meet you too. I'll be in your care, Braun.”