"Why do you look so different today?!"
"Uh? What about me?"
Jaipa seemed a little different, It was like he wasn't resembling me anymore. Until now, he had completely resembled me but now, something was off about him...
What?
Suddenly, a loud sound broke through the sky. I looked up ,The moons were still hanging in the dark sky. I couldn't tell where the sound came from, but it wasn't normal. loud sound and it felt... different. Like it was a declaration of something. Something I didn't understand.
I looked at Jaipa. He was also staring in the same direction the sound had come from. He, who had resembled me just a second ago, had now completely changed.
He was tall, tall enough to consider a adult humans or even bigger , but not resembling humans even a bit he had four eyes on his face , his long white hair similar to his skin , his eyes colour matched the green moon's above my head and His wings were coloured in red with black patches on them seemed durable and sharp , He was wearing a dark, flowing robe with wide sleeves, resembling a traditional kimono or a monk's robe. The robe was open at the chest, revealing a muscular torso adorned A white sash is tied around his waist, contrasting sharply with the dark fabric of his attire. His clothing were cooler then mine i who was wearing same clothes for days I looked at my clothes they were completely torn out
Jaipa was different now. His body, his presence, even the way he looked it wasn't just that he was bigger. He felt… real. Tangible. Like he actually belonged to this world instead of floating outside of it.
But I didn't have time to process it. My body was wrecked, my energy drained. That last technique had cost far more than i expected. I could barely lift my fingers, let alone fight. That meant I had only one option
" Jaipa what happened to you ? " i asked in slow voice my face was flat with question all over it
"What about me ? "
"Why do you look like that "...look like whaTTTTTTT while looking at his body
"What the hellLLLLLLL...happened to me why do I look like this "
Jaipa looked down at himself, his four eyes blinking rapidly. Then, in a slow, almost dramatic motion, he raised his hands and flexed his fingers as if testing them. His gaze traveled from his hands to his arms, then down to his chest
"What the hellLLLLLLL… happened to me?! Why do I look like this?!"
His voice, which usually carried an annoying, teasing lilt, now boomed with a deeper resonance. It wasn't just louderit felt like it was ringing through the air unnaturally, as if the world has come to know if his existence
I blinked, my expression as flat as ever.
"You're bigger."
Jaipa turned his four glowing eyes toward me, his new form towering over where I sat, still unable to move properly. "That's all you have to say?! I LOOK AT ME! I'm a freaking monster!" He raised his arms, showing off his new stature, twitsting his wings making a sharp slicing sound as they cut through the air.
I slowly nodded. "Yeah,You look lot uglier now."
Jaipa froze. His wings twitched again, but this time, it felt more like a nervous reaction. "…Excuse me?"
I glanced at his new features four eyes, sharp wings, "Before, you looked like an annoying bug. Now, you look like an annoying bug that lifts weights."
Jaipa let out a dramatic gasp, his wings flaring. "You absolute little do you have any idea how insane this is?! I was a tiny spirit five minutes ago! Now I look like I belong on some ancient temple wall! I should be freaking out! YOU should be freaking out!"
I tilted my head. "I am freaking out."
Jaipa squinted, all four of his glowing eyes narrowing. "Your face says otherwise."
I didn't respondto it, My body was still wrecked, still my arms felt useless, and my head foggy from pain. But now, my intangible, untouchable companion had suddenly decided to become… real.
And I knew he was real ,For the first time since I'd met him, I could actually feel his presence in the air.
"…I can touch you now."
Jaipa stopped mid-rant. "Huh?"
Without thinking, I tried to lift my arm " It barely moved. "Come here."
Jaipa took a step back. "Wait, why do you sound like that? Why are you saying it like some kind of horror villain?" narrowing his eyes
"Come here."
"No, what the hell?! Why are you insisting?!"
"Because I need to confirm something."
"CONFIRM WHAT?!"
I slowly dragged my broken, barely functional body forward, reaching out my fingers. Jaipa flinched My fingertips brushed his arm.
Solid !
I grabbed his wrist Jaipa tensed. "Wait "
I squeezed
"WAIT, WAIT, WAIT, WHY ARE YOU GRIPPING ME LIKE THAT? LET GO, YOU PSYCHO!"
I didn't let go of him I just want to confirm something "…You're real now."
"No shit, Sherlock! Now let go"
I yanked him forward he suddenly stumbled jaipa who used to float through walls like a ghost was now stumbling
He gawked at me. Then at his own feet. Then back at me. His four eyes were wide with panic. "HOLD ON. WAIT. AM I CAN I ACTUALLY ?!"
I didn't want to answer that stupid ass question ,Instead of that I weakly shoved him.
He staggered back
A Silence flew Between us
I stared at him and he stared at me then I muttered, "...Interesting."
Jaipa, however, had the complete opposite reaction.
"WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATTTTTT?!?!?!"
His voice practically shattered the air. He clutched his head, wings flaring wildly as he stumbled around. "No, no, no, no—this is WRONG. I AM SUPPOSED TO BE FLOATY AND COOL. NOT NOT A PHYSICAL BEING
Indeed i felt something was wrong suddenly my key had gained a physical body after entering into this world one after another incident are happening with me
I blinked. "…You're being dramatic."
"I AM HAVING AN EXISTENTIAL CRISIS, YOU STONE-FACED GREMLIN!"
Jaipa continued spiraling, muttering things like, "I swear if I have....
and, "This better not mean I have to eat now."
I exhaled slowly, leaning back against the tree. "Calm down. You can freak out later."
Jaipa snapped his head toward me, eyes twitching. "EXCUSE ME?"
Now suddenly he was more talkative then before and it annoyed me more , ignoring him i looked at my body it was still useless, and what i needed now was time. "You can touch things now, which means you can also guard things"
Jaipa hesitated. "…Guard?"
I looked him straight in the eyes. "Guard me."
Jaipa's wings froze. He processed that for a second before slowly pointing at himself. "…You want me to guard you?"
I nodded.
His expression shifted. Then, suddenly, he grinned.
"Oh-ho. Ohhhhhhhh. Well, well, well. Look at this. The mighty, stubborn Rudra, asking me to protect him."
"I'm not asking. I'm commanding " with my flat voice i said
"Oh? So it's a command now?" Jaipa leaned down, his four eyes gleaming mischievously. "I dunno, Rudra, you seem pretty helpless right now. What if I just didn't?"
I stared at him, unamused. "Then I'd die. And you know what happens when a master dies right."
Jaipa's grin faltered slightly
I kept going. "And since i don't know why you changed or is it you original apperance
His wings twitched
Silence settled between us. Then, casually, I added, "And you might have to eat food."
Jaipa's entire body locked up. "Oh gods."
"Like actual, physical food."
"No, stop."
"With organs that digest it."
Jaipa clutched his stomach. "I CAN'T HANDLE THIS RIGHT NOW"
"Then stand at guard," I said flatly
Jaipa groaned dramatically, dragging his hands down his face. "Ughhh, fine! But only because I don't want to die
I nodded. "Good."
Leaning back against the tree, I finally let myself rest. My healing would take time, and for now, for the first time i found Jaipa actually helpful
I was noticing , after coming into this world his personality had changed quite a bit not to mention right now his personality had took a unexpected turn
He huffed, still grumbling to himself, but stayed close, as he took his new duty seriously
I closed my eyes with those thoughts
Maybe having a physical Jaipa wouldn't be so bad.....