Chapter 7: A New Ceiling

Slowly opening my eyes, a not familiar ceiling is now in view. A ceiling made with anything accessible, wood, leafs, animal pelt, anything that could be used to protect from rain making it a mix that fit.

Around me tables and chairs made of raw wood, spears and a shield near what could be the door made by a hanging fur. I was lying on a fur, the bed was rustic, so rustic it would be no worse than sleeping on the ground. But for me I didn’t feel any pain at all, in fact it was cozy. Not feeling heavy is good. A familiar silhouette was near me, it was me… Or the clone? I’m starting to be confused now.

Not feeling good I punched my other self shoulder, but it was me.

“Ouch!”

Waking up like this is like walking first thing first on a toy’s brick. It wakes you up, but you’ll have a bad day. Looking at my clone pensive, I now remember what she was wearing and me too. But one thing is missing, my two hair bands were nowhere to be found. In panik I looked around a second time, waking my two selves to look around, but nothing but leather and fur on a box.

I didn’t need to let my ears to look for sound, the man with gray hair and green eyes appeared. My senses told me he was already inside when I looked in the box of hides and furs for clothing. His face was no joke, he could rip my head off if he wanted with his eyes.

But nothing more than a smile on his face, looking at children playing around.

“Are you done looking around?”

There wasn’t a hint of anger just amused, like a grandpa looking at children playing in his front yard.

In sync, my two voices were panicked, like feeling guilty.

“”I didn’t meant to look around!””

Closing and putting my hands on my two mouths, this time it was him who was shocked. Eyes open looking at something that couldn’t be true, wide open trying to capture any information, any tics. Growing nervous, I could only freeze hearing nothing but my two hearts beating even faster than fighting the boar. His eyes fixed on me and myself. He could only slowly interrogate me.

“What are you… Is it magic or a trick? This is the first time I hear about something like you two.”

His arm is folding, and its eyes this time are now scarier. Not a threat, but it’s scary, the only thing that transpired from it is that ‘I won’t be able to escape from this place if I don’t say a thing’. I could only tell the truth, my mind was so overwhelmed by its presence.

“I… I…” Still in sync, my nervousness won’t let me speak in one voice.

“I am her and she’s me” Still in sync, it would disturb anyone for the first time.

And him? Slowly analysing the situation touching his chin in his left hand touching his beard of a month. My mind in full panik looked around for any potential exit, but he was just in front of it. Of course I could by chance find a way by punching the wall, but something told me it would just make him unhappy and I would not go anywhere far. He’s too strong and fast for me!

“Mmmmmh… you are the first creature with ears on the tops of its head, looking like a beast and a human. But also you are two. Am I correct or is it just a prank from kids?”

This time again, his expression could be called scary, with more nuance, like an adult scolding a kid who's done wrong. My leg started to shake, looking around, a new head appeared by the hanging fur. Then.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

*slap*

From the back, the man was smacked on its head. It was so sudden that he opened his eyes again from surprise, not because he was taken by surprise but not knowing the reason. Looking at him moving his whole body on the side of the hanging door. Observing the new stranger, it was the woman from before. Feeling happy to see her alive, my two ears lifted in concert, my tail still stuck, but it was not a problem. She looks angry, not at me but at the man.

“What are you doing grandpa! You should be ashamed!”

Now being in a defensive position he could only feel wronged by her hit.

“But… I was just asking some questions…”

“There is no ‘But’! They were shaking like rabbits trapped in a wolf den! Are you trying to take me for a fool!”

With no argument to counter her, he could only weakly reply.

“My little Lucina, I was just talking with her.”

“If you talk to children and put them in a corner, they will try to flee! And you already know that!”

By chance she’s angry for me. Now feeling a bit better, I could finally calm my heart. Still beating like after a long run, calming my two hearts is a hard thing. But it’s harder than now because she looks at me angry.

“And you!”

Moving faster than I could step back, now my two backs against the wall, my anxiety is now back to a high level. Closing my eyes in fear, the thing that I was thinking would come to me was no pain but a big hug on my two selves. I could only open my eyes to see she was smiling.

“It’s good you are alive! This was so… reckless. Two kids saved my life. I was mortified when I saw you two had fainted.”

Feeling her warmth, I could only smile with my two faces, safe and sound. It was so scary, but also I didn’t feel a real scare like it would be fine. My only answer to this is from only me.

“Yes… I’m sorry, I didn’t think at that moment.”

Her hug becoming more stronger, she could only mutter a little:

“Thank you… for saving me.”

The grandpa feeling a bit rejected could only smile in our direction, now not even a shred of hostility. He had made his own answer.

Later, I could finally breathe fresh air, my tail now free from their restriction.

‘Unleash the tail!’

I was thinking happier, it’s strange I feel more balanced now. It’s long and not heavy, but I think I’m not that much either. I could feel that it was normal the normal way. Lucina was even more surprised by my tail, saying I'm cute.

‘Of course I’m cute! Because I’m me!’

But her observation not only on me but also on what I was wearing. She could only exhale while looking at my clothes.

“You need something better than the raw skin of a lizard!”

I didn’t question it and she took my measure and in less than an hour I’m now with a mix of fur and leather. Fur inside, leather outside, it’s comfortable and she made me something to hide my butt. Now I parade in the village, people look at me like I'm at a zoo. And I didn’t care ‘Yeah look at me I’m cute! Now feed me!’.

And to answer my concern it’s a post neolithic village maybe the Stone age?

(Author note: Me having vibe of aoe rome ost)

It’s really well organised, at the sound of people talking and walking, I could maybe tell they are nearly 200 persons. Even that surprised me to find it this fast. Some of them talk about knapping techniques, while another one talked about migration of the birds. Winter is soon at our door. Finally someone talked about me but not in a good way.

“What is this freak?”

Watching in this direction, my two selves could only see a man snickering on his corner, remembering something. It was the watcher from the entrance earlier in the day. It didn’t move me to know that, just passing information. Finally I ignore this fool blind to my cuteness. I don’t know why I need to tell myself ‘I’m cute’.

Still doing a detour I could hear some people being joyful that tonight there would be boar stew. So it was this smell? I could only salivate at the idea of a good stew and the boar more.

Sniffing, I could only follow the good smell like a trail, on a big fireplace, what looked like a cooking pot made of stone. Elevated by stone bricks, a big fire was under it making the whole thing smell like a mix of burning wood and meat stew. The corpse of the big animal was not that far, people taking a chunk and laying it on a drying rack and maybe the first smokehouse in History.

I don’t know if it’s true, and smoked meat is delicious. I think it was for survival but for me it’s a different way to taste good food. Looking in my inventory quickly, my meat has still not moved from its freshness. Maybe I could conserve it for a long time. It’s even better, I look on my right, on my left. It took a big chunk of 20 kg, it was a bit heavy and It could fit inside it. I turn around and come face to face with Lucina, why didn’t I feel her and why is my clone not here… Oh wait she’s still looking at the pot… Then time to turn myself in. I lift my two hands in sign to say ‘take me to prison!’ but to my own disillusionment she wasn't here to scold me.

“Is that an ‘Inventory’? I thought it was a rare magic, only god gift. And you have it? You are full of surprises, little lady.”

Smiling at the misgiving child, she could not scold her, not after all she had done. It’s even funnier to take them by surprise. Petting her, she found it satisfying to rub her ears. Like a big stress relief, she couldn’t think of stopping once she’s on motion, finding satisfaction to pet the catgirl. And Luna? She was happy closing her eyes following the movement. Only to be cut off by people circling around with a bowl in hand. It was time to eat.

“I’m sorry!”

I don’t know why but I also want to pet her. But she ran away before I could say anything. Well maybe next time.

Time for the stew!