Tomoe rested her hands on her chest. Calm down. It's not the time to get depressed.
She lay down on the bed, her eyes wandering to the ceiling. Let's start from the beginning. When I slept there, I came into this world... and then I went back again after sleeping.
This ability is definitely related to sleeping.
Tomoe rolled onto her side. But... why didn't I go back to my world again?
She shook her legs while remembering every possible detail, she could recall.
I slept here not wanting to go bac—
A sudden thought echoed inside her, but soon the rising enlightenment vanished. I was against being here in the first place, but I got sent here anyway.
"Ugh, I thought I finally had some clues."
She was back to square one again. She thought about many possibilities, but all of them seemed to lead nowhere.
What is it?! Frustrated, she grabbed her hair.
Stop, calm down. She took deep breaths as her mind calmed down a bit. She thought about things she could do now to find clues.
How about I recreate the situation again? A sudden thought echoed inside her. Tomoe bolted up. Peering closer to the table, she set an alarm for thirty minutes. Laying down, she closed her eyes.
Tomoe tossed and turned, flipping from her back to her side, her eyes squeezed shut and her jaw clenched.
I can't fall asleep!
The alarm rang, declaring the end of thirty minutes.
"Do I have to wait until I feel sleepy?" she mumbled, her eyes opened as she let out a frustrated huff into the pillow. "I want to go back."
She closed her eyes. I just want to go back already.
Tomoe noticed her body warming up. She felt devoid of the cool, fresh A.C. air her body had been breezing with.
She opened her eyes. It was the living room.
It worked?
She got up from the sofa and ran outside.
The sky had gone orange and pink at the edges. Higher up, it deepened into a dull violet, with the first stars just barely showing through. The air had cooled a little. It was not much, but it was enough to notice.
"I'm back."
The corners of her mouth moved just slightly, not quite a smile, but close enough. She shut the door and switched on the lights. A body odor hit her nose. I smell a bit.
She marched her way to the bathroom and took a shower. The conditioner and the soap wiped off the scent.
She felt fresh.
Tomoe wore an oversized t-shirt and sat on the couch with a coffee to accompany her.
She took a sip. Is it all about what I want before sleeping, or just closing my eyes enough?
She wanted to find out. But what if there was a limit on how much she could travel in between, and what if this did not work next time?
She weighed the pros and cons and put a hold on trying to go back again. Amidst this, there was a glaring thought that was haunting her.
If my other body dies, will something happen to my real body?
She thought about the time when she got back to her real world. The muscle cramps and everything else were gone, and all that remained was the fatigue. She thought it was related to either her mind or her soul. But one thing was for sure: the experience and the mental toll carried over to this world.
She sighed, her gaze drifting to the fireplace before the light in her eyes dimmed. She stared at it aimlessly while her brain dug deep into a memory.
A middle-aged man dressed in a suit was walking with a child.
"What does our princess want today?" He looked at his daughter.
Her eyes were fixed on the toys displayed on the shelves of the shop. They were glistening with stars. "Daddy, I want that!"
She swept her gaze to her dad, overwhelming him with her baby doll eyes. It was like a beam of shooting stars breezed past him.
"Alright, alright! Stop looking at me like that... jeez." He covered his eyes, not letting the cute princess charm him again.
"Yay, yay!" she jumped, and she started pulling her father towards the store. The door slid open as their feet stomped on the welcoming carpet.
Tomoe snapped out of her daze, her eyes blinking and her chest rising rapidly. Her hands were trembling. She moved her shaking hand, grabbed the phone, and started watching dramas.
The trembling did not stop, and neither did the heavy sensation in her chest. She sprang up from the couch. Walking to her bedroom, she pulled open the nightstand shelves.
There lay a medicine. Thank god I bought this from the night market. She took out the pill and gulped it down with water.
Tomoe sat down on her bed, breathing deeply, as the panic faded away with passing time. She looked down. Her eyes became glossy. Bringing her hands closer, she wiped off the tears.
Her breathing stuttered.
"If only I... if only I could go back... if only there wasn't that stupid toy there," she mumbled. Her heart ached, and tears swam out of her eyes. I don't want to live this shitty life.
She fell back as the mattress became her only source of comfort. She remained silent with her eyes closed, and her body lay there unmoved, as if frozen in time.
Tomoe's eyes fluttered open. Now, I can't be a nuisance to a kind lady like her, can I?
Tomoe pushed her body forward. I can't be a burden... even to her.
She washed the coffee cup, tidied up her room, and lay on the bed. I want to go back to the Pokemon world.
Soon, the coolness came back in. She knew she had arrived.
Opening her eyes, she went to check the hall again. The Pokemon Center was still filled with people.
She went back to her room. Time to move out. She did not have anything to pack, she could just leave. I wanted to do something for her. Her gaze fell into the kitchen doorway, and her legs moved without her permission.
She wandered around the kitchen, her eyes fell on the ingredients. There was no meat. Vegetables covered her entire vision, with the occasional popping up of basic staples.
She ignored all the native veggies of this world, which she had no information about, and focused on the onions.
Alright, let's do this.
With fast and precise care, it did not take much time for the dish to come to life. She made Soupe à l'Oignon, a French dish known as a soothing and comforting go-to.
All I need to do is run away. She wouldn't be held accountable for using her kitchen without permission.
Thud...
Tomoe heard a sound. Shit. Realizing there was no way out, she decided to take responsibility.
Nurse Joy peeked through the kitchen door.
Tomoe looked at her. "I'm sorry, Nurse Joy. I-I just wanted to make a dish for you." She bowed down, her mind ready for any incoming criticism.
Nurse Joy walked in, holding a Pokemon.
"Buneary, Buneary!" Through its cute little hands, it pointed toward the onion soup.