Chapter 02: Meeting The Reaper
"Urghh!" I groan in agony.
My head, no. My entire body feels really heavy right now.
"Man, it feels like a truck hit me."
"That's because a truck did hit you," A girl's voice gives a reply to the comment I thought I said only to myself.
I feel my eyes focus and my face turn serious. "For me not to feel your presence until now, I lack training," I say in a voice so cold, that it could freeze Hell over.
"What's with the cliché line just now?" The girl just shrugs it off with a voice of disinterest.
I slowly pick my body up and look at the girl I'm talking with.
Huh, she's pretty cute. The type of girl I would try to pick up if I met her in a town or city.
She has long silver hair that shimmers slightly, the fringe is parted with two hair clips, revealing her sky blue eyes. Her entire physical profile, I would rank as 'A plus'. However, the long black robe she's wearing makes her look like a stereotypical cultist. She isn't wearing the hood allowing me to clearly see her face.
I slowly walk towards the pretty, yet ill dressed, girl. I push my bangs out of my eyes, showing the girl my 'Prince Charming' pose.
"Yuichi Shiro, sixteen years old, currently single. Please, will you give me the pleasure of hearing the beautiful mademoiselle's name?" I ask elegantly.
First impressions are always important, and there is no one who can give them better than me.
The girl looks at me like I'm weird. Why?
An awkward silence. What went wrong? She should be all over me by now.
"My name's Alicia," the girl finally replies.
Alicia huh, such a beautiful name, for such a beautiful girl. She must be on her way to a fancy dress party. That must be why she's dressed like that.
"I'm a Reaper of souls."
I take that back, she needs psychiatric help. I turn my back on her to hide my shocked face. Huh, wait. What is this place? I look around in confusion. It doesn't look like any place I know. Since when did I move to an island that is surrounded by a sea of lava?
Oh well, who cares? Girl first, location second. Priorities officially sorted. I turn back around to face Alicia, having now regained my beautiful award winning smile.
"So what is it that you do?" I ask in a gentlemanly manner while showing off my pure white teeth.
"It's my job to take the recently departed to the Underworld. This is probably a bit sudden, but you do realise you're dead, right?" The way she answers me sounds like it is premeditated. Like she has said it many times before now.
Wait a second, I'm dead. That can't be, can it? I was only hit by a truc...It suddenly dawns on me. There's no way I could have survived that, and that means...
"NOOO! That can't be true! I have yet to lose my virginity! How can I be dead!?" I shout at the top of my voice. This is a very serious situation. I can accept the idea of being dead, but I will not accept dying as a virgin.
Alicia looks at me with a mixture of disgust and shock. I guess she has no poker face.
"That's the most unusual response I've heard from anyone, and I've taken well over a thousand souls."
"Are you telling me that they all lost their virginity and I haven't! That's what you're trying to say isn't it!?"
My anger is rising, I can feel it. This cruel fate I'm suffering. Can anyone blame me for being angry because of it?
A sudden image enters my mind. A church filled with all my friends and relatives gathered together, they're all crying. Yes, this is my premonition of my own funeral.
"We are gathered here in the memory of Yuichi Shiro, who has sadly had his life cut short," An elderly priest addresses everyone.
Watching this is truly heartbreaking. I'm sorry everyone.
One at a time, everyone comes and says their farewells to me. One person stands before my open coffin, with tears flowing out of his eyes he speaks to me.
"Yuichi, my friend."
This person is my best friend, he's also Sakura's older brother. I met Sakura through him, like how he met Yuna through me. The two older brothers became best friends, and the younger sisters followed suit. Anyway, so to speak, he's my best friend. It's the first time I've seen him like this.
"Yuichi, you died a virgin."
HUH!? Did my ears deceive me just now? To say this at my funeral, what kind of best friend are you?
"Don't worry, I will have lots of sex to fill your quota! When we reunite, I promise to tell you all about it."
"LIKE HELL YOU WILL!" I shout out in response. No way am I letting you pour salt into my already terrible wounds.
"What's with you?" Alicia's voice snaps me back to reality. That truly was a horrible premonition, it must be avoided at all costs.
"Alicia! I must go back to my world no matter what! If you're a Reaper, then you should know of a way right!?"
"There is but one way, and indeed, I know of it. However, you will not be able to do it."
What's with that arrogant smile she's wearing?
"If you know something, then please just tell me. No way am I handing my quota over to him." That's right. That is something I will do on my own. It cannot be entrusted to someone else.
Alicia looks at me in a questioning manner, she probably doesn't know what I'm going through at this moment. Well, let's leave it at that, getting back is more important.
"The place we are currently in is called Purgatory. It is here that souls and Reapers meet. You could say it's the half way point between the living world and the Underworld," Alicia explains as she walks back and forth.
Okay, that was a nice piece of trivia, but it doesn't answer my question.
"Ali..." I begin, planning to make her get to the point.
"In other words, if you wish to return to the living world again, you need to do it while in Purgatory," Alicia cuts me off with her explanation.
But you still haven't told me how.
"How do I get back?" I ask, trying to make her get to the point.
"It is both simple, and yet, impossible."
Okay, seriously. How long does she intend on dragging this out?
"Quit speaking in riddles and tell me, please. All my future sexual pleasure is on the line here!" I shout, my pent up frustration leaks out into my voice.
Alicia shakes her head from side to side, I think she has finally taken the hint.
"You need to challenge me to a game, and win."
"Huh?" I stand there with a confused look pasted on my face.
"In order to go back you must defeat me, then I'll take you back."
"And you can't just take me back without the hassle?"
"No!" Alicia answers sternly.
I see. So basically, if I beat her then I can come back to life, okay got it.
"Can it really be anything?" I ask for reassurance.
"Yes, and we continue until there is a clear winner. You win, I take you back. I win, I take your soul to the Underworld. Oh, just to say, I have never lost."
"You've never lost?" My voice cannot hide my concern.
"That's right, I've never lost. I'm from a noble family after all. I need to keep a perfect record," Alicia reconfirms her previous declaration proudly.
I need to think carefully now. If what she says is true, then I need to choose what I challenge her to wisely. Wait a second, I've got it. This is risky, but I'll put all my eggs in one basket. If I win, I'll get so much more than just my life. Alicia, you have just met your match.
I inwardly snigger to myself, my motivation rising by the moment. I'm sure my heightened motivation will help pull me through to victory.
"Very well. Alicia, I wish to challenge you!" I shout confidently, my previous anxiety now ancient history.
"What at? Chess maybe?" Alicia asks in anticipation, like a warrior being challenged to a duel.
Chess? No way am I going to choose something so boring. I'm going to raise the stakes in a way I'm sure you've never imagined. Prepare yourself, your winning streak ends today.
"Alicia, I challenge you to a game of strip rock-paper-scissors!" I scream whilst pointing my outstretched finger at her.
"WHA...WHAT!" Alicia is visibly shocked, her face is turning red, and her voice starts to become shaky.
"Allow me to explain how it's played. Paper beats rock, rock beats scissors, and scissors beats paper, follow?" I begin my lecture of game play whilst showing hand gestures of each item you can choose.
"I know how rock-paper-scissors is played," Alicia looks at me with a face full of irritation. I was only making sure to keep it fair. So can you turn your anger down a notch?
"The additional rule that I've added in is: 'When a player loses a round, they remove an article of their clothing'. Hence why it's called 'strip rock-paper-scissors'. You win when the opponent is completely naked, understand?" I conclude my explanation. Any questions?
"What a despicable game."
Why the anger? You said any game was fine. Plus, I don't like how I'm the only one who has something to lose.
"Let's begin shall we?" I say, readying myself mentally.
It appears that Alicia is unable to refuse. Her face has 'I definitely won't lose' written all over it. Do you want to see my gorgeous body so much? I don't blame you, but what a perverted Reaper you are.
"I shall take you down, along with your disgusting mind!"
"BRING IT ON!"
Thus the game of strip rock-paper-scissors between my noble self, and Alicia begins.
A few minutes later, and the victor has been decided.
Before me, a beautiful girl is kneeling down, covering herself desperately with her hands and arms. Her eyes are moist and red from embarrassment.
"You needn't worry, I'm not planning on saying anything about what happened here. Plus, you should look on the bright side. The only one who is seeing you in this state is me, there's only the two of us here. It's not like you're in the middle of a city or something." I give my best pep talk
Tears continue to roll down her cheeks with no sign of them stopping, pep talk instantly rejected. I guess she can't see this situation in the same light as me.
"Uh, sorry. Thanks, you're really pretty. You could win any guy you wished with your beauty that is like a piece of art," I'm not saying this as flattery, it's my honest opinion.
Sniff sniff! Her tears increase in mass
Did I just add fuel to the fire just now?
"Jeez, now I feel like I actually did something wrong. You could have just refused, or given up."
I walk over and pick up her robe and hand it to her.
"It's my victory. So you don't need to stay that way any longer," I say gently. Trying to bring out my dormant kindness that is reserved for such situations.
I turn away from her. I've scarred Alicia quite enough.
"Y...You can turn around now," Alicia says in a quiet and reserved voice a few moments later.
I did as she said. Alicia is now fully clothed, and it looks like she is feeling a little better now.
"Considering I won, you have to take me back, right?" I ask, I'm worried she might refuse due to a personal grudge.
With the final tears flowing out of her eyes, Alicia gives a light nod.
I bow my head down deeply.
"I'm truly sorry, I went too far. I promise I will keep this a secret," I apologise again. How many times is this? Please cheer up.
"I have no intention of forgiving you. But, you did win. I have no choice but to follow the Reaper's code and take you back," Alicia declares as she wipes her eyes. It always hurts my heart when a beautiful girl hates me. But it appears she's the type who puts duty before personal feelings, very professional. She then looks at me with a serious face.
"But your life will be very different from how it was before," Her voice just now is the most serious it has been thus far. I feel a cold sweat go down the back of my neck.
"Different, how so?" I ask.
"You'll find out in time."
Well, if she's not telling me now, then it can't be that big a deal.
And with that, my brief stay in Purgatory came to a close. After beating Alicia, I won back my life.
Living world, Yuichi Shiro shall once again take up residence within you. No way am I dying before I lose my virginity.