In a calm dark nothingness, a dragon drifts calm and refreshed thanks to the void. A pressure pressing against his face, a voice pierces the calming quiet and rocks his body back and forth softly.
???:.........Y/N?
...............
???:......Y/N?
...............
Kumoko: Ryuka!!
The soft rocking back and forth not working, Kumoko pinches and pulls at Ryuka's hip. The sharp and painful pinch jolting Ryuka awake, he finds his face on a stone desk covered in drool. In front of the makeshift classroom inside the XP Farm, Ryuka looks around frantically for threats.
Y/N: HUH-What happen?! Some monster cross the river?!
Kumoko: No, but you're gonna wish it was in a second!
Below him on the ground walking on 8 legs wearing web glasses, the spider Kumoko was holding chalk tapping her shoulder disapprovingly.
Kumoko: Falling asleep? Come on, I'm trying here! I don't fall asleep when you teach English!
Being Kumoko's turn today, this whole makeshift classroom thing started when they were testing long range telepathy. D giving them a close range translation tether, it didn't apply to the telepathy skill. If it wouldn't translate for them, they would just have to learn each other's local language. And that's how the English X Japanese exchange began between the two.
Y/N: Sorry, it's just we've been on this section several times and it's just boring...
Kumoko: Immersion and memorization, this is how they reached us in Japan! I'm pretty sure I know the correct way to teach my own language hmph!
Kumoko pouting turning her head to the side, Ryuka waves his hand trying to ease the tension.
Y/N: Alright, I get it. How about this, If I prove I memorized the lesson, you'll move me to the next one?
Kumoko:...Ok, but if not, you'll have to hunt and treat me the next few days!
Y/N: Deal!
Ryuka showing overconfidence, Kumoko was ready to set him in his place.
Kumoko: Alright! Mazuwa, tsundoku no imi! (First one, Tsundoku meaning!)
Y/N: Hon o katte mo yomazu ni tsumiagete shimau shūkan. (The habit of buying books but letting them pile up unread.)
Kumoko:...Yokatta, etto, hiki komoridesu ne! (...Good, uuh hikikomori then!)
Y/N: Shakai kara hanarete chōkikan koritsu shite kurasu hito. (A person who withdraws from society and lives in prolonged isolation.)
Kumoko: Gā! (Gah!)
Not going the direction she expected and given the close to home subject matter, Kumoko was heavily disheartened. Tapping the ground, the spider concedes to the dragon.
Kumoko: *sigh* You've made your point, let's end it today at that. Jeez, it's almost uncanny how quickly you pick up on things. Like a empty sponge absorbing water...
Stopping the lesson today, Ryuka gets up and Kumoko starts heading to her half-bowl bed against the wall.
Spending their time here after entering and leaving the corrupted middle sanctum, Ryuka and Kumoko were sent multiple months to the past due to the New Cycle egg at the center terraforming reality. Both seeing stories about time travel ending very badly, they decided to stay in one place to not meet their past selves and avoid any paradoxes.
YOU ARE READING
So We're Monsters, So What?
AdventureA story of a boy's redemption, a girl's salvation, and a world on the verge of literal collapse. *All images I use and story is owned by their original creators*
