#New OC for Pandaria timerunning

[sirdolraan]

An Offering of Potential

(( DWC May 2024, @daily-writing-challenge, Day 1, Mysterious/Appearance, CW: None ))

"Hello, friend."

Her consciousness swam, like she was waking from a deep sleep and was still trying to get her brain together. She tried to respond.

"Oops, sorry, might have jumped the gun a little bit. Here, how's that?"

Something shifted. Things felt more solid now. "Wha.... who?" she croaked, her voice rough.

"Oh, don't worry about verbalizing right now, just think at me, that's plenty."

"Alright," she thought, "What? Who?" she repeated, mentally.

"That's better. Probably best to not over exert the physical during the rebuilding. As for your questions, I'm a friend, and I'm a friend. A friend who's here to make you an offer."

"An offer?" she 'said', thoughts still swimming, her body numb.

"The best offer. Existence. You see, until a few moments ago, you didn't exist. Your timeline was cut off from reality, and withered away to nothing. I understand it would have been painless, but still troubling."

"That is troubling. Enough that I wonder why I'm not more upset about it," she replied, certain that she ought to be -quite- upset in fact.

"Oh don't worry, the place we're in, and the state of your self keeps emotions in check. You'll have them back when we're done here though. Glands and all that. How'd you like to exist again, my friend?"

"As opposed to....?" she queried.

"Well I could put you back, you would go back to not existing. Less painful, for sure, but also less interesting."

"What's in it for you?"

"Ah, there she is. This is an experiment to me. If successful, you get to exist, and I get to prove someone wrong. Win-win, between you and I."

"And if unsucessful?"

"Then some people will be very upset and I will fight to the death to keep you safe."

For some reason, she believed that. "What do I have to do?"

"I'm putting your body back together, and then I'm going to put you in a very busy place with some very interesting people who will have tasks for you. Work with them, help them, and you'll be helping me, and yourself. I'll be in touch if you pass the first milestone."

"Well," she said, "I would very much like to exist I think. But why me?"

"Hm? Why you?"

"Yes," she continued, "why me? You said my whole existence ceased, so why me out of everyone?"

"There -are- others, but you're the one I think is the most special. As for why, I'll make you a deal. Impress the people I'm putting you with, and I will tell you more."

"That's not a lot to go on," she shot back, feeling emotions start to well up.

"No, but I anticipate you rising to the challenge. I will certainly see you soon, friend."

Then there was light, and while the light faded sound began, touch, the feel of sea spray on her face, and Spiru Handycog stood on the beach of the timeless isle, looking up at a black scaled dragon glowing with blue light.

"Ah, welcome to Pandaria."