Across the Universe: A BFDI Oneshot Collection

So You've Got No Idea What's Going On...

Unknown POV

I woke up.

My eyes opened, and suddenly I could see. I was standing up. Was I sleeping standing up? I don't remember going to sleep. Actually...I don't remember anything before just now. But it's not like amnesia. It's more like...there wasn't even anything to remember before now. I guess it's sort of like if a newborn baby could retain what they saw.

Wait, amnesia? A newborn baby? How...how do I even know what those things are? I don't remember learning about them. I don't even remember ever being conscious until just a few seconds ago. My entire world started when...I woke up. But I don't remember going to sleep.

I looked around. I was standing on a somewhat large black cube with a neon blue outline in the middle of a large dark blue void. Similar cubes were scattered all around this void. Where am I? This isn't what a normal place looks like.

I didn't have a past life. I know that for sure. So...how do I know all of this? How do I even know how to talk, or—or to think? How do I know that I'm not even supposed to know any of what I know at all?!

"Hey."

A voice. I heard a voice. It wasn't my own. I hadn't opened my mouth. I've...never opened my mouth. How do I know what a voice is?

"Behind you."

I turned around to find a tall guy standing there with a smile. His body was almost completely black, but his silhouette was outlined in a bright neon yellow. Judging from the silhouette outline, I think his hair was spiky. His two eyes were two simple neon yellow vertical ovals, a small neon yellow upwardly curved line below them formed his smiling mouth, and his hairline was also neon yellow. Also, the borders of his "clothes" were neon yellow; he seemed to be wearing a short-sleeved shirt and what I assumed were pants. I couldn't tell if he was barefoot or wearing shoes; then again, the cube we were standing on, while rigid and firm, didn't seem hard enough to warrant foot protection.

I realize that description was a muddle of unruly sentences, but in my defense, I don't have much experience with forming clear thoughts yet.

"Hello, there," he said, waving to me. "Do you know your name?"

I stepped back, unsure of what to make of all of this. "I...am confused," I answered honestly.

"Oh, don't be," he quickly said, stepping toward me with his hands raised near his torso. "That's completely natural given your state."

"My state?" I asked, puzzled. "Was I...injured?"

"Well...no. Do you...feel like you've been injured?"

Before I could answer, though, he shook his head and facepalmed. "Ah—hold up, wait, I'm getting off track. Y-you're fine. You're safe. Once again, do you know your name?"

I knew I had no reason to know my name, but one word kept popping up in my head in response to that question. With no better option, I decided to blurt it out.

"...Alpha."

The guy looked at me weirdly, taken aback for a second. "Uh..." he started, "...no. That's...not your name." When I gave him another confused look, he chuckled and waved his hand dismissively. "Hey, hey, don't worry. We all made that mistake, too."

"I'm sorry, I...I'm still confused." I really was. I had no idea where I was, how I got here, or even who this guy was.

"Don't be. Again, perfectly normal. Do you want to know your name?"

"Um...sure," I answered. "Why not? I'm still...totally confused, though."

"Your name's Theta," he told me. "That's your name."