Chapter 8: 8. Bluey

Ellington was gobsmacked. His mind had raced with ideas about what the assigned task could be, but none of them came close to what it actually was. Giving his system a name... He couldn't believe it would be as simple as that.    

 

If he were someone else, he would have been rejoicing at how easy it was to unlock his system. But he wasn't someone else, he was him. The boy who spent hours binging all types of media daily. He might not know a lot of things, but his gut was telling him that there had to be some kind of catch to this.

 

"Seriously?" he began cautiously. "All I need to do is give you a name?"

 

Yes. But any old name won't do.

 

"I knew it!" Elli exclaimed, excited to know that his instincts were correct. There is no such thing as a free lunch in this world. He knew it.   

 

Good for you. 

 

Ellington lifted his chin proudly, giving the cat a wilful smile. "You can't get nothing past me. "I know all the troupes. So how do I find your name? Is it hidden somewhere or something?"

 

No, it's not hidden. It is within you. Your heart and mind. A name that only you know.

 

"Well, wasn't cryptic as fuck," Elli stated, trying to figure out what the system meant. "So... you're saying that your name is one that I already know and hold dear." 

 

In simple terms, yes. 

 

"Then why didn't you say it in simple terms?" he grumbled. 

 

....

 

Laying back on his bed, he began thinking about all the names he knew and liked. He made a list of his favorite characters, from anime, novels, and manga in his head, making to categorize them into the ones he liked the best. 

 

After a long while of deliberation, he finally cut down his list to ten names. Which belonged to characters that gave him the courage and strength to never give up when he was at his lowest. Characters who he had come to love as though they were real.

 

"Alright, I'm ready," Elli said, turning toward the floating cat. "I came up with the perfect names for you."

 

Okay. What are they?

 

"The first name I thought of came from a boy who went through a lot of suffering but made peace with it. Kaneki Ken," he said with glistening eyes. "What do you think? Does it suit you?"

 

No. It most certainly does not. Try again.

 

Ellington knew that sometimes the first time wasn't always the charm. But it was okay. He still had an entire list to go through. "Then what about Dokja? That should work. You share the same personality, always acting like you're high and mighty."

 

Nope, not it. 

 

"Hmm, what about Lan Zhan?" As soon as he asked, he knew that wasn't it. Because the person who belongs to that name brought about his sexual awakening. So that couldn't be the answer. In fact, he hoped it wasn't.

 

Okay first, eww. And no, that's not my name. 

Ellington almost laughed out loud. This was the first time his system had lost composure since it appeared. It will be fun trying to make it do it again.

 

Good luck.

~

Ellington spent the rest of the day trying to come up with names for his system. However, one after the other was thrown out as not being right. He was almost at his wit's end.

 

It reminded him of that one book he read when he was a child called Rumpelstiltskin. Yet, unlike the characters in that book, he probably won't hear the system singing its name. Although that would be a sight.

 

After hours of the name game, he had given up. He decided to sleep on it. It had been a mentally challenging day. It would be best to try again when his mind was refreshed.

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"I will give up for now," Elli started. "But tomorrow we will be back at it. I won't give up until I figure out your name."

~

After getting comfy, or as he could, on a hospital bed, Ellington closed his eyes. Although he thought it would, it didn't take long for him to drift off to sleep. He shouldn't have been surprised it had been a long day. He never noticed his system floating over to him and settling on top of his head as though watching over him as he slept.

 

Within minutes, he was dreaming. 

~

It was his birthday. Yet instead of having a party like normal kids, he was stuck in the hospital. He couldn't even go outside and play with the other hospital children. 

 

Although his dad always told him to be strong, he couldn't help but feel a little sad. Getting out of his bed, he walked over to the window to people watch. It was his favorite pastime. He loved imagining stories about the lives of people who walked past. 

 

But today, as he watched the people walk by, smiling happily, it made him feel upset. He wanted to be like them, enjoying the world outside this hospital to the fullest. 

 

Tears welled in his eyes as he realized he might never be able to experience such a thing. Suddenly, a knock sounded on his door, rubbing his eyes on his sleeves to hide any evidence of his sadness. He turned just in time to see his door opening. 

 

It was his parents with cake and gifts. He smiled in excitement, glad that the day wasn't an entire bust. His mother ran toward him, hugging him tightly. He hugged her back just as tightly. 

 

"Happy birthday, son," his father said gruffly, with a warm smile as he set down the cake and gifts. "You're a big boy now. In a few years, you will be bigger than me. " 

 

"I sure will be," he grinned as his mother released him from his embrace. "By then I will be at home celebrating my birthday." He never noticed the look his parents shared or how his dad's eyes glistened.

 

"You sure will, bud," his father remarked, voice cracking as he got ahold of himself. 

 

"How about you open your presents," his mother said, trying to change the subject. "I got you something I know you will love. "

 

His mother went over to the pile of gifts and picked up a large box and handed it to him. As he ripped into it, he saw it was the plushie of Bluey Ecobabble Lummis, a cartoon character he loved. 

 

"I and your mom got it custom-made for you," his father declared. "I hope you like it."

 

He said nothing, just hugged both of his parents firmly with all his might.

~

Ellington woke up with a start, the events of his dream still fresh in his mind. It was amazing how memories worked. He hasn't thought about Bluey in ages.

 

His parents got it for him on his eighth birthday. He treasured that cat. It always kept him company after a treatment day, comforting him. He brought it with him everywhere, talking to it and telling it his deepest secrets.

 

However, one day when he was ten years old, a nurse decided to do something nice and wash it, but when she put it in the laundry machine, it got caught on something, ripping it apart. 

 

It devastated Ellington when he found out Bluey was gone forever. He just wanted to curl up in a ball and never move again. His only friend was gone. 

 

His parents offered to buy a new one, but he knew it wouldn't be the same. For some time he was broken up about it, but after a while, he forgot all about it.

 

Suddenly, his system moved from on top of his head and into view. As he stared at the cat that looked so much like his forgotten friend, he realized what name suited it best.

 

"Hi, Bluey."

 

 This name is acceptable. The system is now fully unlocked.

 

Ellington watched as Bluey smiled as it plopped down on his chest. Its body language looked softer, it was as if all the stiffness in it had faded away. However, he couldn’t be really sure if he was just seeing what he wanted. As he drifted back off to sleep, the cat was there with him, purring contently.

 

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