Man of Fiction

"And you somehow winded up here and now you want to go back home? To a place that has been...wrecked by your hands?" the Author continued. Emily swallowed her saliva at the remark, and she eyed her monk companion. He remained calm, ignoring the Author's last phrase. "Yes, I meant what I said during the competition." he continued, sincerely. "I am regretting everything, and I want to go back."

"You wrote that heartfelt speech all by yourself?" the Author scoffed, showing signs of disbelief. "The Gareth I know does have a way with words. But he does not really rely on that much speeches."

Gareth sighed and turned to Emily. "No, Emily Rose did." he answered.

The Author perked up, nodding kindly to the brunette. "Ah, your writing skills are superb, dear." she complimented. "You provided a very unique perspective to my character." Emily blushed at the compliment. However, the determined Gareth pushed on before she could express her gratitude. "I don't know how I ended up here," he said. "I was hoping for plausible answers from you."

"You think I can give answers about your...predicament?" the Author repeated.

"Can you?"

The server entered the room again with other attendants, bringing in the meals. They placed it on the Lazy Susan, the aroma of the spring rolls and roasted Duck filled the room, making Emily realize her hunger. It felt wrong to think of food at such a pressing time, however. The server popped out the rice wine, and the Author's hand was already holding her glass. The server filled her glass and her thoughtful brown eyes watched the liquid pour down. "What makes you think I can help?" she asked Gareth.

"You're the one who created the world." Gareth answered. "My world and me."

Once they were done setting up everything, the server and the attendants bowed to the customers before leaving. The Author waited for them to completely leave, staring down at her rice wine. She circled the glass and sighed. "I cannot help you with that." she said.

"Why not?" Gareth asked, looking at her intensely.

"Because… I think you're not supposed to go back." She sipped her wine, while Gareth's frustration towards her escalated. He formed fists on the table, as if he was forcing the Qishi energy back. Emily placed her hand over one of them, taking the reins of their discussion. "I'm sorry, what do you mean by he is not supposed to go back?"

"His story in Mob Boy Order has ended," the Author replied, setting her glass on the table. "Going back, will negate all the values and lessons that it now has. Also, I am just a writer. I may have a following and everything, but that does not make me a god. My pen has never shown any signs of willing anything to life."

"But somehow it did," Emily urged. "Maybe you can write another ending for him? Where is he back at home?"

The Author scoffed. "I wrote my last Mob Boy Order years ago and he only showed up, just now." she chuckled. "You think writing him back will work?"

"You can try."

The Author sighed and brought out a fountain pen from her wrinkled shirt pocket. She took her napkin and scribbled. The pen's scratching sounds competed with the eastern background music, and the concentrated Author hunched down at her writing. Emily leaned over the table, expectantly. After a while, the Author slid her written napkin across the table. Emily's hand met hers at the Lazy Susan, taking the note. When she got it, Gareth peered over her shoulder and read the words.

'One night, something strange yet amazing has happened. She met Gareth, the monk from the Adonis continent. She never thought that such an event was realistically possible and yet there he was; talking like a disappointed fan, demanding a comforting truth from her story-making decisions.

A frustrated Gareth sat across her and he expected nothing but answers. He wanted to go home, but she was uncertain about whether or not, her capabilities would actually help him. She told the ex-monk that he could simply go home, if he truly wished for it. The monk's face softened, and she told him to channel the desire in his entire system. He closed his green eyes, and his body relaxed. Images of home went through his mind. The leaking roof, the sound of his kettle whistling to him every morning, and the sight of his beloved Rowan trying her best to cook the perfect sunny-side up eggs. He told--shouted to his heart that he wanted all of it back. The fall has ended the Don rule, which fired up his desires for a restart. Gareth felt his surroundings change; he no longer smelled the fresh roast or the modern string music. He heard droplets hitting a cold wooden floor and a rattled kettle whistling. He opened his eyes and tears came out.

He was finally home.'

"Try to do what I wrote," the Author suggested, taking some spring rolls.

Gareth sat straight and closed his eyes. He sucked air into his nostrils, and it exited through his mouth. He pictured the main features of his home--the leaking roof and the whistling kettle. Rowan eventually formed in his mind, and it tightened the space of his aching heart. Nonetheless, he forced himself to think of her. He thought of her messy auburn hair, the calluses on her fingertips, her blue wool coat, and her bright blue eyes that brought shame to the daily skies and the deepest of oceans. He only thought of a smiling Rowan, because seeing her tears only brought back the guilt and regret. He waited for the restaurant interiors to change back into his cold Protector housing, but it took longer than expected. He prayed for things to change--prayed for this to work.

He heard another pour of rice wine, and his green eyes flew open to the Author helping herself to another glass. He was still in the same Lauriat-style restaurant, with a table of lukewarm eastern food laid out before him. The string music played on and instead of a smiling ginger, he found a concerned brunette. He closed his eyes and rubbed his temples. It did not work.

The Author frowned, taking a bite from one of her spring rolls. "I tried, Gareth." she said. Emily took the napkin again, rereading its contents. "This ending seems a bit too unrealistic." she commented. "Maybe you can write something else? Something that can actually happen, in real life?"

"Now you're criticizing my last-minute work?" the Author muffled, chewing her food.

"I'm not," Emily firmly said. "I'm merely asking you to try again. Obviously writing him back at this time did not work. What if you changed the actual ending of the last novel?" The Author swallowed and shook her head. She placed the chopsticks at the side of the table, looking grim. "I'm afraid that's where I draw the line." she told her.

"Why is that?"

"I intend to leave Mob Boy Order as it is," the Author explained, dropping her smile. "I do not wish to change anything, and that includes its ending. I'm sorry."

"Why are you so reluctant to help us?" Emily asked, unhappy. "Gareth and I are not toying with you. He seriously needs your help to get back to his world--a world that you placed him in."

"Oh, I can see that." the Author said, her brown eyes serious. "But fate has told him that he can't be a part of it, anymore. Otherwise, he would not be here tonight."

"Are you saying that he really can't go back?"

"Unfortunately, that might be the case." the Author said, apologetically. "I'd write a thousand new endings for you guys, I really would. But it seems like I cannot change what I have originally designed. His story has brought him here, and that is that." Gareth stood from his seat, causing it to screech from his behind. He glowered at the Author, who looked back at him, blankly. His posture was straight and poised, but his green eyes were filled with outrage. He walked out of the room, slamming the sliding door. Emily exhaled deeply, also glaring at the Author. She stood from her chair and went after him, but the Author blocked her way.

"If you do not want to help, then stay out of this." Emily Rose threatened. The Author laughed, which annoyed her even more. "It's been a while since I've encountered an angry fan, complaining about what I wrote." she said. "I will admit this situation kind of fascinates me, which is why I'm going to remain involved in this."

Emily pushed her aside, scowling. "Heavens, I do not have time for your nonsense."

*****

8 years ago

"Guys, seriously!" Emily shouted. "I need the desktop, now!"

"Give us another minute, sis!" Leon demanded, his brown eyes glued to the tiny screen. "We have to finish this level!"

A young Emily groaned at her twin brothers, hogging over the only computer at home. Their gaming controllers were connected to the unit and a role-playing fantasy game was shown on the computer's monitor. It has been a day, since the global premiere. Emily Rose was aware that watching the latest Mob Boy Order episode online won't make her miss any important parts, but her patience could no longer contain it. The last episode completely left her hanging and she had to know what was going to happen next.

She eyed her brothers' gaming avatars defeating the level boss, and the sounds of blasting and shooting became louder. They were on the verge of finishing a very tough level, and they have been trying to defeat it for weeks. Donnie screamed, "COME ON! COME ON!" and his movements with the controller became much more exaggerated, swinging it from side to side. "GETTING WARMER!" Leon yelled, excitedly. He stood up, making the desktop chair roll away from him. The two brothers hunched closer to the computer, their thumbs tapping on the controllers at a faster rate. The game played the victory music, and the Rose twins hollered in excitement.

"OH MY GOD!" Leon yelled.

"FINALLY!!!" Donnie yelled back.

"Geez! Okay, your highness." Donnie complained, saving their game. "Just give us another minute. It's not like you're going to miss your episode." She closely watched her older brother play with the game a little bite more. He pressed the save and overwrite option and the loading bar, which seemed like a long time for her. She tapped to the slow loading bar and when 'Saved!' finally appeared on the screen, she pushed Donnie aside. "I can exit this game, thanks!"

"Whoa!" Donnie said. "Ugh, you're welcome, I guess."

Emily clicked on the browser and typed the name of an illegal streaming site. The website loaded onto the screen, showing Mob Boy Order's latest episode on its home page. She clicked on it before the page could fully load, and the screen turned white. While she waited, she noticed her brothers, sitting closely. Leon even had some popcorn with him. "Why are you still here?" she asked them.

"We want to watch the episode, too." Donnie answered, casually. "So make sure you put it on full screen."

"You don't watch Mob Boy Order." Emily pointed out, frowning.

"I don't, but a girl I like does." Donnie grinned. Emily rolled her eyes and returned to the computer. The player has loaded, so she immediately clicked on the play button. For a few minutes, the Rose siblings waited for the episode to buffer. Emily impatiently tapped on the desktop table. "Your game must have used up all the internet data!" she accused.

"Just relax, Emily! It has only been a minute." Leon argued. "And our game doesn't really use the internet. Heavens, what's so special about this episode that it's making you so stingy?"

"I've waited for this episode for two weeks!" she answered. "The last one ended in the most annoying cliffhanger ever! Gareth finally figured out about Rowan's relations with Cyrus, and I'm dying to know how they confront this!"

The monitor played the episode, starting with the show's opening theme song. Emily danced and hummed to the tune, while her brothers groaned. "Can we skip the intro?" Donnie asked.

"Don't make me kick you out," their sister snapped. When the show officially began, the two brothers moved closer and Emily clicked on the full screen option.

The episode showed Gareth glaring at a weeping Rowan. Emily hunched closer to the screen, and her arm reached for a handful of Leon's popcorn. She munched as the two characters conversed with one another. "Let me ask you again, Doctor." Gareth said. "How do you know about Cyrus?"

The doctor remained silent, but this angered the male character even more. He kicked a nearby doctor's tray, making all the instruments on it clash to the floor. Rowan cowered from the sound, shaking. "ANSWER ME!" Gareth yelled.

"So hot," Emily murmured, taking another piece of popcorn into her mouth. Leon grimaced at his younger sister. "How is that attractive?" he asked her.

"Look at him!" Emily said, gesturing to his pissed off but handsome face. "Look at how tough and edgy he became!"

"So girls secretly dig it when we yell at them." Donnie said.

"No, not really. Unless you're Gareth, you're just going to scare them off."

"I don't really see a difference," Donnie continued. "I honestly would not like it when a guy yells at you, like that. I might punch him in the face."

"Me too," Leon added, his mouth filled with his popcorn snack.

"Gareth isn't a violent person," she defended, watching the episode. "He just lets his emotions get the best of him. Nobody is perfect."

"Sounds like a red flag, to me." Leon said. "Look at that poor girl, she's crying. I think she deserves better than that toxic person."

Emily paused the episode and glared at him. "Gareth is not toxic!" she said, defiant.

"Oh really?" Leon said. "He may be hot, but he's brooding man with a revenge quest. He has a temper and he takes it out in clearly the most unhealthy way possible. He kind of sounds like--"

"KIDS!" their mother yelled. "KEEP IT DOWN PLEASE! Your father and I….are having a very important discussion with Wilhelm, here."

Donnie, Leon, and Emily exchanged grim looks, with each other. Their distractions made them completely forget about the family feud that was taking place inside their household. They grew silent, letting the possibility of their mother getting a new husband sink into them. The brothers were ready months away from college and they worried for their sister, who was going to be with this strange man alone. Emily looked back at the computer screen, which froze at Gareth's furious face.

*****

"Gareth, wait!"

Emily ran after the fuming monk, catching up with him outside the restaurant. Gareth stopped in his steps and turned to the brunette. "Forget about her," she told him. "We can look for someone else who can help."

"Like who?"

She desperately thought of a good answer. An answer that would wash away the anxiety and the rising tension in him. Deep down, Emily Rose knew that the only thing that would really make him feel better was a sure solution that would send him home. Sadly, there wasn't any and it felt like they have already reached the end of their rope.

"Someone," she just said. She moved closer to Gareth, extending her arm to him. "Just please calm down. We can still fix this--"

"NO!"

Gareth took steps back away from her. Emily's heart jumped from his outburst and she, too, moved away from him. Gareth saw the imminent fear from her and regret flashed into his eyes, again. "You've done everything that you could, Emily." he said, quietly. "And I can no longer burden you with my problems."

"No! It does not make sense, Gareth!" Emily protested, taking her courage back. "You came to me, for a reason! I promised that I would help you get through this, and I refuse to give up on you."

"But why?" he asked, almost pleading. "Why must you do this? You almost got into danger, because of me! So why help me, still?"

"Because I love you!"

Emily closed her mouth, cursing internally at herself. She watched for any sign of change on the monk's face. Gareth remained silent, and he was neither angry nor sad. He took more steps backward, shaking his blonde slowly at her. He turned his back at her and ran off into the night.

"What have you done?" Someone thought for her.

Emily's guts boiled at the sight of the Author. She also watched Gareth run away, wistfully. "He has a few toxic traits, you know." she told Emily. "I don't think confessing your love for my character is a good idea."

"If you are not going to help, please leave us alone!"

"Hold up," the Author said, putting both of her hands on her hips. "I didn't explicitly say that I will not help. I am not that cruel of a person."

"You want to help but there's no way, so what's your point?!"

"First, tell me the full scope of his situation. And don't leave anything out."

"Why should I?"

"I don't have any solution that would help him to go back home. But I still have a solution, so do you trust me?"

Emily looked back at the street, where she could no longer see Gareth. She wanted to go after him, but the Author's offer was still very tempting--even though she had no guaranteed plan to send him back. Emily's confession, however, pushed the poor monk away from her. She needed something that would bring him back to her. Anything.

"Fine." she muttered, following the Author back inside.