Darkness surrounds me...
It feels warm...
I'm chilling peacefully.
A noise, soft and lovely... It's coming from very close.
There are another noises i can hear too but usually just two distinct noises.
A warm and comforting noise coming from almost behind me... and a rough and harsh noise that comes from sometimes far, sometimes close, but not as close as the warm one... I don't like this noise...
As I spent time peacefully, i hear some stranger noises. I began to feel sticky and wet.
I slowly started to slide. I was being pulled by something narrow and warm.
It's hard to breathe... Im trying to move, but its too narrow to move...
As i was being slowly pushed, my head started to feel... cold?
Wait- Something's touching me?
Im being pulled.
I'm scared!
Suddenly, I was able to move. In fact, I can move even better than before. But I've started to feel cold... It's so cold...
SLAAAPP!
Suddenly, i felt a pain in my ass... and began crying...
I miss my old place...
_______________________________
--- A week later... ---
I'm so hungry... Okay, let'do this!
"Waaa... WaaaAAAAHH!"
A woman quickly come over my room and feed me.
While i was drinking my milk, i looked at her face. It caught my interest My vision was blurry, but her face was too close that i could see her clearly.
Suddenly, a man entered the room and caught my attention. He was the second similiar noise... the disgusting one...
He came near me and did that peak-a-boo thing again...
Daigo covered his face with his hands and said "Where did i go, my son?"
I gave him a bored look.
"Peek-A-Boo, Im here! AhahaHAHAHAH!"
What is he doing? I can see you hiding your face behind your hands.
At around 6-8 months old, babies begin to develop object permanence. Before this age, they think that objects they can't see have disappeared.
Hope's cognitive ability's somehow abnormal for his age...
However, while i kept drinking, the woman smiled at me and i smiled unintentionally.
________________________________
--- A month later after born... ---
They brought me to a strange place.
An old granny laid me on a log, pierced my fingers, and then stepped back.
I'll die!
I started hearing some electronic voices and saw somethings in air and suddenly...
A few minutes later, i passed out...
____________________________________
--- A month after the Naming Ceremony... ---
Dry season started and weather became hotter day by day.
I started to understand the words people were said, and tried to crawl but i can't.
I hear that my dad's preparing for something like a fight or somethings similiar.
______________________________________
--- Two months after the Naming Ceremony... ---
Hope's 3 months old right now. He can barely crawl and can say some basic words like 'Mother' and 'Dad'. Hope's look like half year old child at this point.
______________________________________
--- Two years after the Naming Ceremony... ---
Hope's physical development was astonishing. While a thirteen-month-old child should only be taking his first steps, Hope was already able to walk with slow but steady strides. He stood at around 80 cm, the same height as any ordinary two years old child. His still unfused bones, weak muscles and tendons were all wrapped with black tendrils, reinforcing his structure.
As if being this strong for his age wasn't enough, after turning one year old, Hope discovered that he possessed a superpower.
But things were not going well...
Everyone in the village had learned what happened during the Naming Ceremony, so Hope, the so-called freak, was constantly ostracized by children his age.
Hope had grown used to sitting with an empty look in his eyes on the yard of his home, spending time all by himself...
Once again, Hope sat in the yard. Unlike the other days, he was staring at his hands with intense focus.
From the tip of his right index finger, a thin black tendril slowly began to emerge. He could extend it according to his will, but its speed was slow. After reaching around five or six centimeters, it stopped, and no matter how much he tried, it would not grow any further.
"Woahh! It feels like my finger got longer!"
After glancing around, Hope spotted a thin branch. He first grabbed it with his hand, then wrapped the tendril around it as well. It felt as though it would never slip from his grasp. His gripping strength had increased.
Hope stared at his hand and the stick in fascination, then ran toward the house.
"MOMMM! Look what I'm going to show you!" he shouted as he giggled and rushed inside.
Same days evening...
While the family was eating, Daigo spoke with a serious expression.
"Son, don't you get bored of always playing alone?"
Hope shook his head, his eyes started dripping.
"No one wants to be friends with me."
Daigo patted his son's head. Hope replied with a hug.
"Sigh...
Honey, I noticed our firewood's decreasing. I'll go out tomorrow and chop some."
Hope's eyes lit up immediately.
"Dad, Dad! I will come with you!"
Hope's mother was against the idea at first, but in the end, with Daigo insisting as well, she had no choice but to agree.
The following day...
Hope sat in his father's arms as they traveled to a place near the village where only a few trees grew. Daigo chose a medium-sized tree and began chopping it down. While he worked, he cheerfully chatted with his son.
Then, in the middle of their conversation, Daigo suddenly turned serious.
"Son, I told you about what happened during the Naming Ceremony before. You remember, right?"
Hope nodded.
"People are wary of those who are different from them. They fear the unknown. If others were to see your new 'superpower,' they might grow even more afraid of you. Let this remain a secret within our family, alright?"
Hope nodded enthusiastically with a wide smile.
"Our secret!"
Daigo burst into laughter.
"AHAHAHAHA! YES!"
THWACK! THWACK! CRACK!
The tree fell with a heavy THUD!
Daigo embraced his son tightly.
"Our secret..."
--- Four years after the Naming Ceremony... ---
I learned that there are two seasons in the forest we live in, and that we would be attacked by a Danger Beast wave near the end of each season... and what happened today was exactly that.
I was waiting at the center of the village with Genzo and the others. From the west, my uncle Kato, dad Daigo, and the other warriors started to arrive.
I hugged my dad and uncle.
Uncle Kato is very strong!
Ding!
[Time remaining until the system fully activates: 334 days 9 hours...]
And... what is this?