Vol 1 Chapter 3 (1/2)
Season 1, Episode 3
Episode 3:
“Why, how did you know my name?”
An innocuous question, tinted with her surprise and thorough shock.
Even in this bewildered moment her expressions could not have looked more natural.
As she slowly turned to face Shun, the truth finally sunk – this girl was the real deal. From her delicate facial features, down to her tiny little toes, she was all real.
This girl was Rosalie. The complete, unabridged version of Rosalie. In the flesh.
–
He really was an idiot wasn’t he? How could he ever have thought of her as a fake, after witnessing that extraordinary feat of her being projected from the television?
It was getting rather hard to breathe now.
His fingers were shaking with the effort to keep up with the situation, and his head was pounding. With all the blood and adrenaline pumping through his veins, his limbs were starting to feel numb.
After all this time, Rosalie, the real Rosalie, was standing right in front of him.
And he had no idea what to do.
……
History could teach him nothing. Nothing like this had ever happened before. His texts were just as useless, as they would never be able to tell him what in the world was one expected to do when the girl of your dreams pops up from within the television.
Finally, he settled for s.c.r.e.w.i.n.g his eyes shut and shaking his head in the hopes of clearing it of all the mist.
Take a deep breath, Shun. Just think. Rosalie, here, in the fles.h.!.+ Come on man, you really ought to be a little happier about that!
And while Shun did not appreciate being chided by the voice in his head, what it said made sense. Seeing as how the situation was completely in his favour, he should be ecstatic right about now.
And with that, he opened his eyes, fully intending to enjoy his time with the beautiful Rosalie; consequences and suspicions be d.a.m.ned!
This was a once in a lifetime chance!
His trap was wide open, he was ready to answer all her questions.
But, as his eyes got used to the dim surroundings, he realized something – Rosalie was gone!
–
“W-Where is she?!”
Frantically, Shun spun around the room, in search of her. She couldn’t have gone missing in the s.p.a.ce of half a minute, could she?!
It was then that his gaze alighted on the open door.
And then, from below, came the sound of splintering gla.s.s.
s.h.i.+t.
Rus.h.i.+ng down the stairs, Shun found Rosalie crouched at the narrow hallway, hands searching amongst the splintered remains of a broken gla.s.s vase, obviously in hopes of finding an item.
Her fluid movements were so typically hero-like, that Shun was taken aback.
–
As Shun descended the bottom rung of the stairs, Rosalie stood up, a dissatisfied frown tugging on her mouth – her search had yielded no results. She looked pa.s.sively at the drenched mess on the floor, courtesy of her handiwork, and with a swift toss of her blonde head, proceeded towards the bigger living room.
“Polar! Gando! Nite! Where are you guys?” she called for her trusted companions.
… …
Silence.
Shun rushed down the stairs, past the hallway and came to a stop at the entrance to the living room, staring at Rosalie’s immobile back.
Time seemed to stand still; Nothing happened.
And then –
-Eat
-Don’t Eat
A textbox floated into sight.
–
“Eh…?”
The textbox that floated out of nowhere – it looked kind of familiar. It was almost as if it were the command window of the game-
No way.
Rosalie was standing stock still, staring at the box of cream puffs on the kitchen table. After breakfast, Shun had conveniently forgotten to put it back into the fridge.
Being the avid gamer that he was, it didn’t take Shun all that long to decipher the relations.h.i.+p between the strange command box and Rosalie’s actions.
Could it be that-
But, with no controller in sight, how in the world was he supposed to pick a choice?
The sweet scent of clotted cream was wafting towards them, and as Rosalie stared at the box melancholically, a notion was hatched in Shun’s head – I really wish to let her eat it.
And the window disappeared.
Where in a game there would have been a beep, signalling that the player had made his choice, there was now only silence that racked the room.
Then, as if the control stick had suddenly been put into action, Rosalie walked towards the table and, using just the slightest bit of strength, opened the box of cream puffs. Picking up one, she held it to her nose for a sniff before biting into its creamy softness.
……
Watching her, it was as if time had stopped.
Fine tremors ran across her body, and her large eyes slid shut in ecstasy, as she savoured the sweet, full, creamy taste of the custard that bloomed on her tongue. A sheen of sweat appeared on her forehead and her cheeks pinked in delight.
It was fate.
If this was a just a dream, Rosalie decided she would make the best of it. Plunging her fingers into the box of cream puffs, she grabbed one in each hand and proceeded to stuff her mouth, biting into each one alternatively.
A repet.i.tive process of bite, chew, swallow; change hands, bite, chew and swallow. All that dignity and poise had taken a flight out of the window.
–
Watching her every enthusiastic bite, it occurred to Shun that this might be the first time that Rosalie had actually eaten.
After all, in Dragon Bless, also known as D.B. to their avid fans, there had never been an option to ‘allow the character to eat’.
Hmm…. Come to think of it, he ought to bring up that point with the producers next time.
Anyways, what an amazing sight it was to watch the girl he had always idolized, even back when she had just been an image on his television screen, take her first bite of food, ever! In her entire life!
He stared fondly at her, noticing her cheeks bulging with the cream puffs and bits of cream that were smeared across her lips. Her features, frightening in their intensity during battle, had all but melted away into a puddle of happiness, cream puffs and rainbows. It was almost as if her time had been set on reverse, sending her back to when she was but a girl, chasing after the herd high up in the Alps.
Sigh. What a lovely sight.
However, while indulging in this rare treat, a slight worry was niggling insistently at the back of Shun’s mind. He couldn’t quite put his finger on it, but somehow this wasn’t how he had pictured the statuesque warrior princess.
“Dragon Bless” had projected an image of her as a strong warrior and a dignified and n.o.ble princess, but watching the scene in front of him, the jarring difference between the two had become even more prominent.
If anything, it served to make the girl in front of him that much more real.
Because only those that were real could be flawed.
–
Within minutes of indulging, Rosalie found herself staring at an empty box.