The Mistress and The System

The beginning

The stars had watched her from the moment she was born. They watched as she grew up, all her cries and all her laughter. They were quite fond of her.

So why was the night sky so blank today? Why did the stars not twinkle in the sky? They couldn't watch what she was going to do to herself. It would have been too painful.

Even the moon was too afraid, hiding behind a veil of heavy clouds. Too afraid to cast its lights upon her, and like a coward, it retreated into the dark grey clouds.

She stood on top of a cliff, the gentle splashing of the ocean below. Eyes stricken red and swollen, dried tear tracks upon her pale cheeks. Bruised lip, a watery smile as she looked down at her soon to be watery grave.

The wind that always blew gently, tonight was still. There was no presence of warmth or chills.

It was too much. The world was too much to handle. Why was she the one who they automatically leaned on while they gave her no solace to her berieved soul? Why couldn't anyone see her pain? Why did no one ever give her a hug? Why did they expect her to be there for everyone? Why was there no one for her? Why shouldn't she cry? Why shouldn't she get angry? Why did she have to be the one to always sacrifice?

Why? Why? Why?

The answer didn't matter now. In reality, she had never been worthy of an answer.

Even if she screamed, cried her heart out, nothing would change. It never did.

She laughed maniacally, heart aching, fresh new tears running down her face. She laughed at herself, and she laughed at the world. She laughed until her stomach hurt.

She was tired. So very tired.

She closed her eyes and took one step. Her lips curled upwards in her very first genuine smile. The wind was harsh against her back as if trying to defy the gravity that was consequently pulling her.  The smile on her lips widened, and her body splashed into the water.

She felt a sharp pain in her head, and her lungs felt constricted. She didn't resist. She had let go and willingly walked into death's embrace. Finally, she could rest.

The stars had other plans.

___________________________________________________

She groaned, opening her eyes. She was greeted by a sea of white. It seemed that she was sitting on something. What exactly, she didn't know. Her mind wasn't even processing how this was possible. She was quite sure she was dead.

She sat there thinking, 'This is just fucking great?' She sighed. She had thought she would relaxed a little bit after courageously throwing herself, but now she is in a white place. She didn't even know how long she had existed within the blinding light.

It was a mystery.

A fucking mystery.

She repeated into her head as she gazed at the white space behind her. It seemed like a never ending white void that assaulted her senses.

She killed herself, the most unforgivable of sins, so why was she not condemned to damnation? Was she alive?

She didn't know what she would do in this situation and her lack of information made her feel all the more anxious. This couldn't be a dream, nor could it be a nightmare. She threw herself from the cliff. She could remember it vividly, the pain of choking slowly, feeling every miniscule atom of air escaping her lungs. The pain of the salty water flowing into her mouth and nose, robbing her of the air. The pressure of the ocean as its waves squeezed her ribs. It was a slow way to die.

[Hello Alex, T-19910]

What in the actual fuck?

A mechanical voice greeted her. She tried looking from where it came but all she could see is an infinite ocean of white.

"Who are you?" Alex asked narrowing her eyes as if it would help her see.

Suddenly a face was showed up in front of her and Alex swore her soul rattled as she flinched back in surprise. If she still had a heart, Alex would have died again.

Something shimmered and a purplish face was in front of her again. Although it was not a surprise but Alex couldn't help the way her fingers twitched.

[I am your system S-00193, you can call me Azi]

'This has to be a joke. This isn't real!' She groaned.

"A system?" She laughed, seeing the situation as funny, "A fucking system! Hahahahaha! I just wanted to die in peace! And they send me a system!What a sick joke."

The thing looked at her, confused, [You are familiar with systems?]

"Yes," she confessed in breathy chuckle , how wouldn't she when there was someone who was obsessed with reading novels about systems and transmigration.

"Why do you keep hugging me? I find you annoying stop it!"

"I hate you! I hate you so much that sometimes I wish you weren't born as my sister."

"You hate me huh? Fine then.Do whatever the fuck you want? I am washing my hands off of you."

"You embarrass me Alex, that is why I never want you near me when we are in public!"

She snapped out of her daze. The memory leaving a bitter taste on her tongue."A little bit," she continued, "So what kind of system are you?"

[I am your system. Specifically sent for you. I am all those types yet none at the same time. Master sent me]

Alex smiled in her usual honeyed fake smile, "Oh...why were you sent specifically for me? What is my mission?"

The system cocked its head as if thinking, [I think you are confused about something. Maybe I have said something that made you misunderstand. I am your system, Mistress. You have no mission, no need for points. Master sent me to you because they wanted you to enjoy your afterlife.]

"Mistress?" She asked perplexed, not sure what was happening. How is she a mistress? But again why refuse? She always wanted to travel and this system would help her do just that. Even if it was out of pity, she won't refuse a gift given to her freely.

"Whatever, then before we can go into new worlds, can I at least get to see my body one last time?" She wanted to see if she bloated, chuckling to herself at the image.

[As you wish Mistress]

She found herself suddenly in the water. She panicked again before remembering that she was already dead. She looked around, entraced by the beauty of life in the ocean. She turned her head and froze. There lying snuggly on the ocean bed, surrounded by rocks and sea anemone was her. A beautiful glow and a smile on her face. Eyes shut, hair floating. She looked like Sleeping Beauty. The only difference was that she was dead.

The beauty of it all, took her breath away and she cried. It seemed that in death did her body truly rest.

She looked at the face by her side, "I don't want my body to be discovered."

[Already taken care of Mistress. Shall we continue?]

Alex sighed, "Yes let's do that."