Sora’s POV

Let me clearly emphasize this….I fished out a girl from the sand. Yes, a girl, not a woman.

A tiny child.… no more than eight? Ten years old? Clearly, younger than Gustav.

If I had to describe her, she shares a mix of oriental and western facial features. Her hair is black however it is evident it hasn’t been washed for many a days for the colour lacks lustre. She is wearing a silky kung fu dress. Her appearance can best be described as haggard, other than that I can’t say any more about her (since there really isn’t more to say about a *girl*).

She is still holding on to my leg which I lifted up in the air – she’s dangling as she is holding on it; swaying like a hanging crib toy.

Now, I at best I can say – and truthfully confess….this is a first for me. I have been on a desert safari as a kid and I don’t remember digging up little girls…or women…or any human from the sand. Even at beaches – I don’t have that kind of experience.

As cute as the child is – I have no intentions of taking her with me. Why? Because, she is a child. More specifically, a child I found in the middle of a desert. Maybe her parents are nomads looking for her? Or maybe she’s a wanted criminal (that monstrous grip). There are so many more rationale reasons not to take her – what if she gets hurt on my trip (I can do with one less guilt trip)? What if slows me down?

I mean I don’t even know whether this child is an adventurer or a resident, an ally or a foe, from the Alliance or from the Empire….

See what I mean? At best she is a liability but at worst it may mean the end of me.

I have had a lot of time to think…and trust me when I say *a lot*, one of the few things I have come to realize in that time is that this game is not as easy as it seems. The last time when a girl (with pink hair) helped me, I ended up meeting Devil-san and furthermore realized I had been followed. Whether that girl had been a fellow soldier, accomplice to my enemy or just a stranger – the fact is I was followed without knowing it.

This case is no different – just because I see a child in the middle of the desert, doesn’t mean that I should go running to her help…I have reached my decision. Ditch the kid – if possible bury her back into the sand as she was.

I put my leg (bone) down, thus lowering her on to the sand. It seems she is completely unconscious and unaware what is going on. I believe she is reacting subconsciously by holding on to my leg. I wonder if she even realizes a skeleton pulled her out? Never mind. I slowly open up her fingers which were tightly clutching my leg. It took a little time and effort – I did it extremely slowly and patiently since I didn’t want to wake her up. I even added a little sand on her, so that she won’t be discovered (assuming she is running away from someone…)

I pick up my bindle….Right then…I’ll be on my way!

*Trips*

I fell flat on my face.

I turn around and notice the sleeping brat holding on to my leg…

She murmurs something incomprehensible – most likely her native language.

It sounds like she just made fun of me. Okay! No more Mr. Nice Guy.

I shake my leg violently in an attempt to throw her off but she’s too good.

*Let go dammit!*

I am beginning to resemble more and more like an anime gag comic than a serious protagonist in a fantasy world!

No matter how hard I try to shake her off – she doesn’t budge. She’s literally glued to my leg. It is frustrating me that I am wasting my time on this child…

[I may have wished for company but I never asked for a child that I need to look after!] I complain. Seriously, if wishes are just randomly going to come true – why couldn’t it be a hot babe of 16?

[] An alien voice echoed in my head – no it might be clearer to say such feelings were conveyed to me.

I pause from all the fussing and kicking and stare at the tiny thing holding on to my leg. Is telepathy a birth given right in this world?

[Let go!] I insist back. Although I spoke in the only known language to me – I focused more on the feeling and visual imagery of ‘letting go’.

It worked. She let go of me.

I pulled away my leg and dashed away from her.

[]

In that instant my mind was flooded with thousands of images – they were her memories: some were happy and others were sad. They were all jumbled up – chronologically. The last few memories stopped me dead in my tracks.

*Deep breath*

*Rattle* - My jaw bone rattles as I curse my luck.

I turn back to pick her up.