Chapter 423 - Day MDCCCXLIX, Part I

I started my day with a quick shower, then went to eat breakfast down in the restaurant. It was quite a big hall, artificially lighted by chandeliers hanging from a ceiling, that was actually pretty high. They were pretty interesting with a silver-looking base, and glass crystals shaped like round pyramids turned upside down.

There were many art pieces covering the walls. Most of them were abstract shapes with quite dull colors. Blacks and browns, that worked quite well with the dark wooden furniture.

I ate some eggs with bacon and a few toasts with jelly. Then I went to my room, turned into a crow, and flew through the balcony.

The weather was nice, although it was kinda windy. A few clouds were chased through the blue sky, and down on the ground people seemed to head towards the beautiful beaches.

I flew there to watch all of them swimming, and sunbathing barely covered by any clothes. Some tough studs were pumping the iron on some beach gyms, watched by small crowds of interested people.

I flew over the Hollywood to check how the movies were made, and I have to say, it was pretty boring with all the repetition, so I left quickly, and did few circles over the regular districts. That's how night approached. I was actually going to get back to the hotel room, but then I saw something.

There was a figure trying to climb on top of a fence, installed on the top of one of the taller buildings. I flew closer, cause it grabbed my attention.

A petite person sat on top of the bar, part of the frame holding the wires. I heard sobbing, as the person pulled out a smartphone, and with few moves of hand played a freaking anime. It was so bizarre, that I landed on the side, and noticed it was a girl.

She was wearing an oversized hoodie, a beanie from under which middle-length dark hair was visible. Baggy jeans and sneakers were completing the picture. With a closer inspection, I noticed her clothes were dirty, even in the dim lighting available thanks to the lamps installed close to the streets down below.

Sobbing and wiping her eyes, she laughed from time to time, watching the animation. I couldn't see it, but I heard the dialogues in Japanese. It seemed to be some kind of fantasy story because people fought against each other, and I even heard the swords hitting each other. It was kinda cringy with the power of friendship fueling the battle, but who am I to judge?

- Why can't my life be like this? - she suddenly asked, as the ending of the episode rolled, and the sad music started.

She stopped the video, and looked ahead, at the city at night. It was beautiful and melancholic.

- Why did I had to be born in this stupid world? - she kept asking. - Why did I get pulled to that other world? I want my own stupid isekai story!

She then wiped her face. Her stomach growled, but she ignored that, instead played another episode on the phone.

After it finished, she climbed her way down and checked her pockets. She had few coins there, but clearly not enough since after quick counting "Fuck" escaped her mouth.

I flew to follow her, taking few loops around the building, waiting for her to get outside. She did, and looking carefully around, started walking alongside the street. I held some distance but made sure to not lose her. She walked for some time, eventually approaching some fast-food restaurant, then she checked her coins again, sighed, and left.

I tailed her for some more time, as she finally arrived at some back alley crowded with homeless people, drinking, sleeping on the streets, and smoking some joints. She found a spot for herself and wrapping her arms tightly around closed her eyes, but the stomach kept growling.

I knew because I landed on the ground close by, pecking the ground to hold up my bird game. She didn't even look at me once, too distracted by her own emotions, and a guy who approached soon.

He was an older guy wearing an orange coat over a checked, black and white shirt, and dirty tank top. The jeans on his ass were falling down, so he kept holding them with one hand. He was very skinny and had a few days worth of beard on his long face, with a pointy chin.

- Do you have any food? - he asked her bluntly.

- Fuck off Jim. I don't have anything.

- Did you go to the restaurant I told you to?

- Yes, and they didn't give me anything. They barely let me charge my phone.

- I told you to sell it!

- No! Fuck off! - she yelled and picked herself up, as he came closer.

He tried to grab her by the hoodie, but she slapped his hand and just bolted the hell out of there, almost stepping on me.

- Bitch! - said Jim and spat on the ground.

I extended my wings, and flew off, following her. She didn't run for long though and switched to walking as soon as she got out of the alley. Looking over her shoulder, she picked a direction at random and started heading that way.

I kept observing her, and came to the conclusion, that she was trying to figure out what to do next, since she often stopped to look around, and changed direction a few times. Eventually, she came up with a solution and picked up the path. She walked for few minutes, arriving at a grocery shop. There were few people leaving it, and she approached them, asking for money.

She was told to get lost, but this didn't keep her from trying. Eventually, she got a bill from some kind-hearted lady and went inside the building to get some food. She left with a granola bar in her mouth, and two more stickings out from the pockets of her hoodie. Then she restarted her journey.

She ended up arriving at the same building I found her originally. She climbed her way to the top and sat down under a wall of the part of the building where the staircase was emerging over the roof. Then she curled her legs a bit closer.

I landed a bit from her and pecking the concrete, slowly closed the distance. It was starting to get quite cold actually, and she was feeling it. I noticed her pulling out the phone, and wrapping her arms around her torso.

- Shit - she said and hid it inside her pocket.

My guess was the battery was low.

She pulled out the last granola bar and opened it. Then she finally noticed me. I froze, tilting my head to the side, unsure how to react.

- Hey buddy - she said. - You hungry? Here...

She broke off a bit of the bar, and threw it towards me. I decided that this was enough and transformed it into my original form. She gasped, surprised.

- I'll pass on that - I said, pointing at the oats and dried fruits.

- Holy shit... - escaped her mouth, as she stood up, sliding with her back on the wall.

It made this characteristical sound.