CHAPTER 2
As the sun crept up the horizon, rays of golden light streamed through the cracks in the curtains, nudging the small girl in bed from her slumber.
Alison stirred, half-awake, her hand instinctively reaching out for her phone—only to be met with the cold emptiness of the unfamiliar wooden nightstand. Her eyes flew open, taking in the antique wallpaper and the rustic ceiling beams. A heavy sigh escaped her lips.
Remembering the events of the former day
"Oh... right," she muttered, voice flat. "This mess. I guess I will need to get used to this sooner than later"
She looked down on her clothes and grimaced deciding to go look for some clean clothes in the closet.
Dragging herself off the creaky bed, she shuffled toward the old closet and pulled out a set of clean clothes—if slightly oversized and worn-out. In the mirror, she saw the same pale face as yesterday, framed by unruly black curls and scattered freckles. Her limbs still felt awkward, thin, and too small for comfort.
She scowled. Six years old in a world where you can die because or because not some person's request got refused 3 times and a bunch of random people got squeezed to a pulp... or some deranged troupe wants to make art out of your corpse.
Letting her back hit the floor, she sprawled out, embracing the cool wood with all the drama of someone who would rather be doing anything else. After a long moment of sulking, she sat up.
"No way I'm dying again. I've got a second chance... and I'm not wasting it on being weak," she said, eyes flashing with resolve.
as she was walking aimlessly through the halls of the building she encountered Emily, a warm-hearted caretaker who, according to the original Alison's memories, actually did her job properly—probably one of the few. she was a kind lady who wasn't fortunate enough to have kids of her own so she decided to work there and provide love to the kids living under the same roof.
"Mrs. Emily! Can I go play outside? Please?" Alison beamed, voice laced with childlike excitement. Her stomach churned with disgust of her high-pitched voice
Emily chuckled and bent down to pat her head. "Sure, sweetheart. Just don't wander too far or stay out too long, okay?"
"Got it!" she chirped, bolting toward the creaky gate with a mix of fake enthusiasm and real anticipation.
The old stone walls of the orphanage loomed behind Ali as she stepped through the creaky wooden gate.
The path from the orphanage meandered through a patch of overgrown grass
As she descended into the valley, the landscape transformed around her and She could see the rooftops of the town peeking over the hill
Soon, the road met the town's cobblestone streets, and with each step, she felt the electrifying buzz of life. Vendors were setting up colorful stalls, their boxes overflowing with all kinds of stuff and the street was bustling with multiple vendors, stray animals and townsfolk
She blended in with the morning rush, moving stall to stall with a growing confidence. The world was alive here—louder and brighter than she remembered, and full of opportunity. A vendor handed her an apple.
"Haven't seen you in a while, kid! You alright?"
"Doing great! By the way, what day is it today?"
"September 6th, 1993!"
Six years until canon events kick in… Not much time to become strong enough, but maybe just enough to avoid dying stupidly, she thought, gnawing at the apple.
After an hour of polite small talk and persistent questioning, Alison pieced together what she needed : she was in a village called Mirfield, in the northwest of the Mimbo Republic—south of Padokea and near Kukuroo Mountain. A peaceful place, mostly agricultural. Too peaceful.
She eventually escaped the noise,
The chatter of the marketplace faded behind her, replaced by the distant rustle of leaves and the soft whisper of the breeze and the enticing symphony of nature.
As she approached the edge of the forest, the trees loomed tall and majestic, their trunks sturdy and welcoming
She walked up to a nearby tree and sat at it's bottom shielded by the countless leaves ' shadow from that scorching hot weather .
"Sooo... learning Nen," she mumbled, plopping down at the base of a tree. "What's the over-under on me unlocking it by meditating like a monk?"
She sighed. "No teacher, no shortcuts. Guess I'll try the basic method. Meditate, starve, hope I don't fall asleep."
Cross-legged, she closed her eyes and stilled her breath. For the first few minutes, there was only wind and birdsong—but then, deep beneath her skin, something stirred. A subtle warmth. Like the tiniest ripple.
Her eyes snapped open. "Hah. Gotcha."
She rose, brushing dirt from her shorts and jogging back toward the orphanage. Emily's warning echoed faintly in her head, but she doubted the woman would care if she came back covered in leaves. The important thing was progress.
Once inside, the familiar scent of old books and wood polish welcomed her back. Alison glanced at the wall clock. Still early.
"Ali! You're back!" shouted a voice, making her flinch.
She turned, visibly annoyed. Oh no.
Eloise. Golden curls bouncing, her eyes sparkling with excitement.
"We were just about to play! You missed yesterday's round of hide and seek!"
"Yeah, come on!" chimed another kid.
Alison forced a smile. "Sorry, I'm exhausted. I'll play next time, okay?" She gave Eloise a quick hug to seal the fake sincerity.
"Oh… okay! See you later!"
As the kids scampered off, Alison muttered, "Brats."
' I do not have the time to waste around playing, I need to unlock my aura ' she thought grumpily
She climbed the stairs, heading for her room.
" I was lucky today to be able to catch the slightest glimpse of it... But you know what? I just need time. Time and peace."
And in that moment, she realized: peace would be the rarest thing to come by in this world. But if anyone was going to survive it—and win—she'd have to outthink it.
And Alison had every intention of doing just that.
' now I have to go and enjoy training in solitude before other kids decided to come and pester me '