Chapter 8: Chapter 7: a new future

[ author note: This chapter will be heavy on dialogue.  People who experience dialogue-phobia should close their eyes while reading this chapter ]

 

It's Ima! 

 

I close the door behind me and run to her, she stands up and I quickly scan her for any injuries. 

She shows no sign of injury, nor does her spotless red and white coloured miko outfit. Then I put my hand on her shoulder, "thank god Ima, you are alive, how are you, I thought you died in the shrine, where are we?" 

 

She replies with a warm smile and what I believe to be sparkling mischievous eyes "hello Peter, finally found the right door, have you? Took you a while though. Yes, yes, I am fine. Have a seat, we need to have a talk."   

 

She gestured to me to sit down in the chair in front of the desk. Ima sat back on her office chair in front of the computer. Confused, I asked "what is this place? Where are we? Is this a hospital?"

 

"No, we are not in a hospital, we aren't even in Japan anymore."   

 

"What do you mean, they sent me back to New London and you are here to visit me then?"

 

Ima starts to giggle, which only confuses me further: "no, you don't understand, see, we are no longer on Earth. You are currently visiting my domain. Ah apologies for the lack of tea and cookies, that will have to wait a bit."

 

It took a few seconds for me to process her reply. My hands massaging my forehead where a headache is forming,  "no, don't mind that. What was that? Your domain? Sorry I don't understand any of it. Not on Earth...is that a Japanese expression or so?"   

 

She rolls her eyes and sighs. Then her expression becomes dead serious. Her eyes directly locked onto mine.  "Okay, you still don't get it Peter, so let me be blunt: you are dead. You expired, you are deceased, you checked out, dearly departed, gone to meet your maker, passed away, resting in peace, pushing up daisies. You understand now? Your physical body died while visiting my shrine in Japan."

 

I was staring at her, longer than would be polite normally. But, really? 

I replied,  "I am dead? Then why does my back hurt? And what about YOUR shrine? How can we have a conversation when I am supposed to be dead? Then you are dead too? Now stop bullshitting me, the joke ended a long time ago." 

She inhales deeply and calms down. I unconsciously do the same. 

 

Then she says "it is, or I should say by now, was my shrine. People of old Japan, a time long gone, dedicated it to me, to worship me. I am their guardian deity. Even though I desire no worship, only respect. You see, you left your physical body, and are now visiting a realm that mortals usually cannot enter. This is my realm, the godly realm, but I call it my domain. It has a more calming sound to it, don't you think? I am a genuine goddess, one not well known on Earth though." 

 

I blinked my eyes and could only say "ehh. go back for a second will you? I thought you said you took care of the shrine and welcomed guests. Like a janitor or something. But now you tell me you are a real goddess? I find that hard to believe. Is your real name even Ima?"  

 

She smiles obviously amused by my inability to understand the situation. "The janitor? Yes, that was me too. And I did take care of the building, you saw me sweeping the floor in the shrine, didn't you? And yes Peter, my name really is Ima. Is it so hard to believe? People always want proof. So you shall have it." 

 

My eyes go wide, when realising the impact of her story. I am really dead, she is a goddess, and I will get some proof? Oh boy here we go. I reply "wait, wait. You mean the janitor I met outside this door a while ago? You were him? And you are a real goddess? No, THE goddess of the shrine I visited?"

 

Ima laughs out loud, "Yes, now he gets it! I am not a mere miko, but a goddess. And as for the proof I mentioned, I heard your prayers Peter."

 

My face instantly turns red, realising she heard everything. "Oh my god, you heard all of it?"

 

Ima giggles again: "I prefer the expression oh my goddess, but yes I heard your thoughts, your prayer. 

But also felt the deeper feelings you had. You saw me leaving the shrine didn't you? How could I have heard your prayer from the outside? Well, let's see if this will convince you. I have been watching you for a while now. Even goddesses do like to go for a walk now and then, so I ended up in your hometown. Guess who crossed my path that day? Yes, you did. Remember that day in the park, when an old lady fell because her cane broke?"

 

I was perplexed, how could she have known that? It was last year in autumn.

 

She continues "and who came to my help, asking if I was alright. Willing to bring me to a hospital? Yes dear, that was you. Many people these days would have ignored me, too busy with their own life. But you didn't. After I told you I was fine, and you left, I decided to watch you from my domain every now and then. I was curious about you, your work, your ambitions. 

 

But what I learned was that you feel that your life is miserable, useless, and boring. And I could sense your feelings when you were looking in the mirror before you came to Japan. You know, the part when you thought that women have an easy life compared to men."

 

I turned completely red. "You have been watching me that close?"

 

"Yes, I did, but mind you, I do really respect your privacy. So don't think too much about that. 

I decided to help you, as a favour for genuinely trying to help me, the day when I was that old lady in the park. 

 

But to see if you were really worthy to receive the blessing of a goddess, I needed to know more, how brightly does his soul shine at his darkest hour? I decided to test you. 

Remember that evening when your neighbour Elliot asked if you perhaps should go on a break? 

Guess who inspired him to say that? Yes, I did." 

You are reading story Saving Mirai at novel35.com

 

I could only reply: "so you had to kill me for this? For your amusement? Why? What did I do to you? I am not proud of my life, but murdering me? If you are truly a goddess, then you could have prevented that earthquake, right?" 

 

"Peter, no that is not true. First, I did not kill you. I know you don't believe me, but let me explain."

 

"No! You are right, I don't believe you, now let me out of here!"

 

Then Ima is surrounded by a blinding bright light, so bright I have to close my eyes. I jump out of my chair, and try to protect my face by crossing my arms in front of it. 

When I open my eyes a bit, I can see that the desk and computer are gone. The bright light fades, and Ima now is dressed in a pure white robe. I am stunned, eyes wide, not knowing what is happening.

 

"Now you believe me? These are no tricks, everything I told you is the truth. I invited you to my shrine that day, making it look like a special invitation of the Tokyo AI system. But it was me who invited you.

Now let me explain and sit down again for a minute will you?" We both sit down again.

 

I can only nod, as I am speechless. But I will give her the benefit of the doubt for now.

 

"Peter, I tested you because I wanted to help you. My powers are limited on Earth, as I am not a deity of Earth, but of Mirai. Think of it as I am only visiting your world now and then, to meet the descendants of my followers on Earth. Incognito as a miko of course. Or as an old lady who just wants to have a quiet evening walk.

 

I took note of the pain in your heart when you look into the mirror, convinced that women have it better in life. Oh how I would have loved helping you, granting your wish to truly become one, if that really was your wish of course. 

 

But again, my powers on Earth are limited. I could not do anything about that, but I did want to give you happiness by helping you find a new, more fulfilling job, something that should be impossible in your society. 

You were passed over for promotion, perhaps I could suggest your manager to at least think it over. Maybe grant you another position, not decided based on an old test, but based on your true capabilities. Something like that would be possible."

 

I replied  "wow, you would have done that for me?"

 

"Hush", she said "I am not done explaining yet. What happened in the shrine was not part of my plan, I didn't cause the earthquake. According to the deity of your plane of existance, you were supposed to die in a Daisy Cutter bombing attack three years from now. By then you would be pushing up daisies too. Strange name by the way, must be a human thing."

 

I grimaced "really? that would be my end? And what, a human thing?"

 

"shhh, Peter. While you were travelling to Japan, I wondered if you would continue to be a depressed man, or be open to something new and exciting. And, you surprised me. Since your arrival in Japan, you have changed, your spirit showed warmth and kindness. You started to live again. It was enough to give you my blessing. Especially being so nice to that android in the hotel you were staying in. She indeed was a cute one.

I then decided to meet you in person, in the form of Ima, a shrine miko. And no, I am way older than 16." She smiles mischievously.

 

Ima continues "as a Miko I could see if you were worthy of a bit more of my help, and boy did you surprise me." She smiles again, making me curious to what could follow. 

"Peter, you were not only very kind to her, you truly respected her. Your soul was sparkling at that moment.

When the ground shook beneath you, it collapsed the building that stood unharmed for many centuries. It should not have happened, but it did. Again, I am not responsible for that earthquake. Nor was your deity. You died there, saving her. Saving me!"

 

I shook my head to clear my thoughts, then said "wow, slow down. Wait, we really do have a deity watching over Earth? Why do they not talk to us like you do? Sorry, no, please continue. Still trying to process this. So I was not destined to die today, but I still did, and neither you nor Earth's deity knew anything about it? No offence, but I find that hard to believe."

 

She looks at me, an expression of sorrow on her face "Peter, calm down. I will answer some of your questions, but not all. There are things you cannot possibly understand. So trust me on this.

Yes, Earth's deity exists. She told me once that you humans pray to their many deities. But you talk and talk and talk, and ask many favours, but you never seem to listen to them." 

 

Seeing the confusion on my face growing exponentially, she changes the subject.  

"Anyway, let's focus on you right now. Sometimes things happen for a reason that even we deities cannot fathom. But it still means that you passed my test, much more than I would have ever thought possible. Not many mortals would ever have the chance to visit my shrine, and then you tried to save a life during an earthquake, with risk of your own."

 

She comes closer to me and asks me to stand up. She puts her hand on my shoulder and then retracts it again, crossing her arms. "Peter, listen and choose carefully as your future will depend on it. Your kindness has earned you another chance. You may choose to go back to Earth, born again in a new life. You won't keep your memories, but you will have a fulfilling life. You may choose your gender, and if anything else comes to mind, you may discuss it with Earth's deity herself."  

 

She pauses to gauge my reaction, and her eyes narrow and focus on my eyes and lips, indicating she expects a reply.

 

I reply to her "I believe I hear a but in your proposition. Something equally interesting perhaps? Please elaborate."

 

She immediately relaxes her face and smiles warmly again. "I am glad you are still open for an alternative. 

There is indeed an alternative, a much more interesting option if I do say so myself. You could come over to my world and become my daughter." 

 

My jaw dropped in disbelief, and if my head wasn't fixed to the rest of my body, I would have lost it by now.

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