Player: "Ahhh!!"
The train we were riding hurtled forward at breakneck speed, as if we were taking a wild trip on a roller coaster.
Mita (C): "We're almost there! Hold on tight!"
Little Mita yanked the handbrake. The train screeched and groaned as it fought to stop.
Player: "This damn train is going to tip over!"
Mita (C): "Not while I'm here!"
Mita (C): "At the very least, I'll make sure we land somewhere safe!"
All I could do was watch as she twisted and shifted her body, desperately trying to keep us from falling off. Then, out of nowhere, she started hurling pillows toward the front of the train to slow it down.
Mita (C): "Get ready! We're jumping!"
Player: "What?!"
I glanced around. Everything was pitch black.
Player: "You've got to be kidding me! We're just going to leap blindly into the void?!"
Mita (C): "I've got a plan! Just trust me!"
She raised her hand for me to take.
At that point I had no other choice but to trust her. It wasn't that I didn't believe in her—the situation was simply far too dangerous to jump into the unknown without knowing what waited below.
Player: "Ahh… Fine! Let's go!"
We clasped hands and leapt just before the train derailed.
Player: "Shit!!" I screamed as I plummeted.
Mita (C): "Now!"
As we fell, I suddenly felt my body grow light. The rapid descent slowed to a gentle drift.
Player: "…?"
Mita (C): "Good. Looks like it worked."
The fall lasted a couple of minutes before we landed on something remarkably soft.
Mita (C): "The slow-fall code worked. Good thing I remembered it," she said proudly.
Player: "Ahh… Ahh…"
Player: "You could've told me beforehand. I almost had a heart attack."
I was still recovering from the shock. For a moment I truly thought I was going to die (again).
Mita (C): "Sorry. I didn't realize how hard Short Mita had thrown us."
Mita (C): "So I had to resort to this desperate measure."
Player: "I'll give you that. She went a little overboard launching us with her foot."
Mita (C): "You mean her foot, right?"
Player: "Whatever. The point is it was way too dangerous."
Player: "What the hell was she thinking, throwing us like that?"
I needed a moment to collect myself. Then something odd occurred to me.
Player: "Changing the subject… how exactly did you activate the slow-fall code?"
Chibi Mita looked a little nervous before answering.
Mita (C): "Pure luck. Remember, we're part of the program, so sometimes we can trigger one code or another. Not always, though—Crazy Mita would know exactly where we are."
It sounded like a forced excuse, but I wasn't in any condition to press the issue. Time was against us, and Crazy Mita was almost certainly hot on our heels.
Player: "Fine. I won't ask any more questions."
Player: "For now, we need to keep moving."
Mita (C): "Yeah. Now that I think about it… does your ring have a flashlight?"
Player: "I think so. Let me check."
I scrolled through every code available to me. Teleportation, slow fall, speed boost… the list went on.
What an idiot. I had the exact same slow-fall code and never used it. At least not using it saved a little battery on the ring.
After a brief search, I found what I needed.
Player: "Here it is."
I activated it. A faint light filled the room.
Mita (C): "Awesome!"
Mita (C): "…?"
Mita (C): "Why is the light so dim?"
Player: "Sorry. The ring warned me that using more light would drain the battery much faster."
Mita (C): "Yeah, better to conserve as much as we can. We'll need it soon."
Mita (C): "Let me see… hmm…"
We walked hand in hand through the near-darkness. It made it easier not to get separated. Then little Mita suddenly stopped.
Player: "Are we there?"
Mita (C): "Almost. Just one more step to reach her."
She raised her hand and pointed upward.
Mita (C): "She's definitely up there in her bed, still asleep."
Player: "Sorry to interrupt, but… who exactly are we looking for?"
Mita (C): "Sleepy Mita. She won't be much help later on."
Mita (C): "First things first—we need to start climbing."
We were about to begin when I remembered the codes.
Player: "Wait! I've got a code that'll help us climb a lot faster."
I searched again and found it.
Player: "Ready. With this, we'll make it in time."
Mita (C): "Great!"
I also activated another code along with double jump. It would keep me from slipping while climbing—my feet would stick firmly with every leap.
Player: "Ready?"
Mita (C): "Yes."
I scooped little Mita into my arms and began hopping up the sheets. Every step had to be careful; the slightest mistake could cost us both our lives.
What made it harder was the dim light. If I increased it, I'd drain my powers too quickly—and that would be a fatal mistake right now.
Mita (C): "You can do it, Player. We're almost there. Don't get distracted."
Player: "Ugh…"
To a giant these distances would be mere centimeters, but to us they were meters. Even with these abilities, I was starting to tire.
Player: "Finally, we're almost—"
Just a few centimeters from the top, I felt my powers beginning to fail.
Player: "No, please! Not now!"
Mita (C): "What's wrong? Are you okay?" she asked, worried.
Player: "Grab onto me—quickly!"
—Battery low.—
Little Mita wrapped her arms tightly around my neck and her legs around my waist.
Acting on pure reflex, I managed to cling to the sheets with both hands.
Mita (C): "Kyaa!"
She was hugging me so hard it was getting difficult to breathe. I understood—we were both terrified of falling. If we did fall, I would use my body to cushion her landing.
Player: "Mita, listen to me."
Mita (C): "Huh?"
Player: "I'm going to push myself so you can climb onto the bed."
Player: "Once you're safe, I'll pull myself up."
Player: "I don't think I can hold both our weights much longer."
Player: "So stay sharp."
Even through her fear, Chibi Mita put on a serious expression, waiting for my signal.
Player: "Ready?! One… two… three!"
I poured every last bit of strength into hauling myself up. Little Mita leapt for the edge.
Mita (C): "I made it!"
Player: "Good… now I just need to…"
My arms were screaming. I think I strained the tendons with that sudden effort.
Little Mita had reached the edge of the bed safely. Without her weight I felt lighter, but my arms still couldn't hold on much longer.
Mita (C): "Player!"
Seeing I was about to fall, she grabbed my arm.
Mita (C): "Hold on!!"
With her small strength she managed to pull me just far enough for me to get a leg over and haul myself up beside her.
Player: "Ahh… ahh… ahh…"
My arms were completely spent. I was going to need a long time to recover.
Mita (C): "Are you okay?" she asked, still worried.
Player: "Not really. My arms are wrecked and I'm exhausted."
Mita (C): "That's understandable after the effort you just made."
When I got back to my world, I planned to spend an entire day resting or doing things I actually enjoyed. Being here meant constantly putting my life on the line. The only things I really wanted were to focus on my video games or spend time with my friends.
Player: "Give me a few minutes to rest, then we'll move on to the next part of the plan."
Mita (C): "Okay!"
At that point I closed my eyes and let myself drift into a short nap. Maybe it would help me recover a little. Lying on such a soft bed, I didn't think it would take long.
(Fifteen minutes later)
Mita (C): "How are you feeling?"
Player: "So-so. My arms still ache a bit."
Feeling somewhat better, I sat up and turned to look at the enormous Mita.
Player: "So that's Sleepy Mita?"
Mita (C): "Yes."
Player: "I see… but there's a question that's been spinning in my head…"
Mita (C): "What is it?"
Player: "Isn't it obvious?" I raised my hand and pointed at Sleepy Mita.
Player: "How the hell are we supposed to wake up a giant like that?!"
Mita (C): "That's going to be difficult."
Player: "We need to find a way."
Player: "I'd love to use the ring codes, but unfortunately the battery's low."
Player: "You've got some trick up your sleeve, right?"
Mita (C): "Unfortunately no. I need to wait twenty-four hours before I can use another one."
Player: "God, you're even worse off than I am with the cooldowns."
Out of ideas, we sat on the bed trying to think of a plan to wake her—until something came back to me.
Player: "I remember reading a children's book where a little kid woke a giant just by shouting in his ear."
Little Mita looked at me, confused.
Mita (C): "Are you sure about that? It doesn't sound like a good idea," she said worriedly.
Player: "You're right, up to a point."
Player: "But I've got nothing to lose by trying."
Without wasting another second, I started climbing Sleepy Mita's pajamas.
Mita (C): "Good luck, Player!" she called, cheering me on.
I climbed for about five minutes before slipping and tumbling back onto the bed.
Player: "It's too slippery…"
Mita (C): "Mmm…" She glanced around.
Mita (C): "Why don't you try climbing her hair?"
Mita (C): "It's like holding onto thin ropes."
Player: "...!!"
Player: "You're right. Why didn't I think of that sooner?"
Following her advice, I began climbing Sleepy Mita's hair.