Let's start simple.
Life, it's a cycle. A baby's being born, the same time a man is killed, the beginning and end.
There are many who tried to interpret the meaning of death.
Humanity has always been desperate for a way to circumvent death, thus came the ideas of the "Afterlife".
I speak for humanity, knowing full well the existence of non-human entities that CAN do what humanity is so desperate to achieve.
I left life behind to attain peace of self. Rest. Even though I left behind a piece of myself for someone else.
It killed me, no pun intended, the fact that my sacrifice came at that cost.
Abandonment.
Abandoning those who I love, those who are a part of my own heart and mind, for my own selfish desires of respite.
And thus...
-"Thus begins your life as a part of the family of HoloLiveEN! Welcome to the team, Mori Calliope!"
Those were the words that changed her life.
Mori Calliope, one of the most beloved and popular characters within the VTuber space. She was a person who needed no introduction.
Taking up the mantle of Death's Apprentice, Mori Calliope, or Calli for short, leads a double edged life.
Being a reaper of sorts, Mori Calliope can go from entertaining millions of adoring fans, to taking and guiding souls away into their place of solace.
It was something she had no way of escaping, it was her job- No, her calling, to do something such as this.
When she had first joined HoloLiveEN along with her group-mates, the "HoloMyth" unit, she thought it would be rather boring. She viewed HoloCorp as a company that wants to exploit her powers, she thought the ones before her were being taken advantage of.
It wasn't up until her first stream, she realized she was dead wrong.
She hadn't expected such feelings to brew inside her, love and care for humanity as a whole.
But with it came turmoil. The first turmoil she had felt since before being numbed to the whole idea of reaping.
Knowing she's streaming, entertaining such a massive population, a population she's bound to come claim one day...
She felt like she was cultivating her own crops to cull.
She underwent many stages of depression, she yearned for people to see her as who she really was, she was not a good person, not in her eyes.
In her eyes? She was the definition of evil, and its not her sentiment, it was the sentiment of every human that's ever lived, or, every human she knows.
Everyone thinks of death as the ultimate end, always personified as a being of total hate for life.
It wasn't true, it wasn't.. It's just.. wrong.
She couldn't see that, however, as more time passed, and as more time was spent with her Generation mates, more time spent with her fans, more time spent with humanity.. She began believing all their words.
If only she, if only humanity, could melt their eyes to see the truth, the future ahead.
Death was a concept, it was merely a certificate of completion.
Her life would change again, soon.
Location: ???/Time: XX:XX
-"Fuwawa, Mococo, where have you two been?!"
The worried voice of a woman arose, which prompted the two dog-girls to look towards her.
They seemed cheerful, happier than usual even.
Buuuuuuut... That happiness didn't last long, because the next words they said earned them the grandest scolding of their lives.
-"We went to a human's house!! They were really co- HAEHHHH-"
Fuwawa dropped to her knees as a strong chop hit her head, which was followed by the voice of the aforementioned woman, now sounding more baffled and angry rather than worried.
Mococo immediately attended to her sister, earning a chop aswell, making her sound out a less audible "Haeh".
-"You WHAT?! A human, saw you? Did you forget to hide yourselves?"
The two spoke in unison, their face scrunched up in pain as they rubbed their heads, their ears twitching alot.
-"We did! The human saw us still!"
The woman, knelt in front of them, sighing as she patted their heads, silently apologizing for the reaction she gave.
-"...Unbelievable, and you're sure they were fully human? No catches?"
They both looked up, to nothing in particular, just thinking for a minute, their mouths open slightly as they tried to remember. They didn't have the best memory.
A few seconds of silence later, they looked back towards the woman, nodding firmly, giving their most serious expression.
-"No catches!"
Surely they weren't forgetting anything..
"Can we go now? We have streams scheduled!"
What felt like the umpteenth sigh escaped the woman's lips, her tone of voice reverting back to a slightly concerned one. She stood up, extending her hands to each of them to help them up.
She wasn't totally convinced by their words, but it's not like she could do anything about it, she'll stay quiet about it for now and not tell anyone.
Fuwawa and Mococo took her hand, their tails swaying slowly behind as they smiled up at her.
-"Thank you Shiorin!"
-"No problem, now, run along, don't cause more trouble!"
-"Bau Bau!!"
Shiori laughed slightly, replying with a singular "Bau!", her tone now fully relaxed and playful.
She closed her door as they left, and sat back down on her bed, holding her head in her hands.
A human who could see them, despite their covers...
In her thoughts, she could only say one line. One sentence to perfectly describe the situation.
And maybe she will be right, only time will tell.
Shiori stood up and left her room aswell, heading somewhere.
Location: Jude's Livingroom/Time: 2 PM.
-"HoloLive.. HoloCorp.. HoloStars.. What did they talk about."
He lost himself in thought, standing up a few moments later and going to the kitchen to pour some water for himself. He put the cup under the tap and drank, one cup, two cups, three.
For some reason he was just very dehydrated, as if something was catching up with him.
After drinking too much water for it to be healthy, Jude set back his bandana to where he usually placed it.
He's gonna have to find it a new location soon, that's for sure.
"Alright, now they're gone and I can forget their existence altogether. Time to start working on my college applications and future."
Jude headed to his room, sitting on his desk and typing away on his laptop.
However, as quick as he began to work, the name "HoloCorp" continued echoing in his brain, urging him to search.
His discipline told him to focus, but, the knowledge of what he could only describe as extraterrestrial beings being real gnawed at his mind.
In the end, he caved.
"One quick search."
He typed onto the search bar of his browser: "HoloCorp".
And thus he entered the rabbit hole.
First, he noticed the website of said corporation, and, a million wikis below dedicated to the members of said corporation.
He clicked the first link, and he saw alot, ALOT of information.
A main page, with the logo of the corporation and a background image of what he could only assume was idol training, obviously in a virtual setting.
He scrolled up, down, up, down, invested.
He shouldn't have searched. He regrets it now. But he's too far in.
Jude sees the middle of the page, "Talent" written above 6 panels showcasing different names, one of them stood out the most, seeing as it was the simplest name.
HoloLive
He clicks, and his eyes immediately widen by the sheer enormity of groups.
Each name was super catchy and easily rolled off the tongue, all of them looking unique in their own right.
Unconsciously, he began saying the names as he read them, as if reading statistics.
"Tokino Sora.. Robocosan.. Nekomata Okayu.. Inugami Korone.. Shirogane Noel-"
Shaking his head, he snapped himself out of that dangerously alluring haze, blinking thrice to ensure he was focused once more.
"Okay. What else is there."
He scrolls back up, seeing the other groups.
Clicking on the first thing he landed his eyes on, he was sent to the "Myth" group page.
"Five members. Are they a collective that only works together?"
Exploring all of their individual pages, Jude seemed to drown deeper and deeper into the whirlpool of HoloCorp, swept up foot first into it.
"Wait, if the two dog-girls are not normal beings, does that mean literally everyone who works here isn't? That can't be it, right? There has to be some normal, modern day humans."
At first, it really seems impossible, he can't find anyone who was normal and not a deity.
Stopping himself for now, he shuts down the website immediately to end his deep dive, taking a deep breath.
He'll continue later, that was for sure, but for now, he must continue what he sat down for.
"....Back to college future."
Click click click click... Was the sound filling his ears for the next few hours, until evening came by.
Standing up to take a breather, Jude's eyes blurred for a moment as a very sharp headache engraved itself into his mind, drilling into his brain.
"Agh- What... What is this-"
His brain felt like it had a pulse of its own, just continuously pounding like a drum beat, he felt like it was going to explode any moment.
Seeing a grey aura emanate from his right eye, a twinge of panic took root in his heart. Why this again? Why is it so aggravated all of a sudden..?
He clutched onto his desk, holding onto his consciousness, his hands flailed around in search of his phone to call emergency services, but he had left it on top of the desk.
All energy left his lower body as he dropped to the ground totally numb, he couldn't move anything anymore after that.
"G..gah.. This.. hurts..!"
His fist barely clenched, as his vision began blurring, until he couldn't see anything but a large grey haze.
That was when he lost all consciousness and his sight faded to black.
Jude's POV.
Unknown Location
Everything hurt, I don't know what happened, just, so randomly fainting due to no reason. I hope this isn't going to happen again and again, I don't want to worry Mom. Ahhh.. College too.. I didn't get much done despite sitting for hours on end typing away.
Wait, I hear something. Is someone inside my house again? If it's those dog-girls again, I will need more answers.
-"...ster! Mister!"
I came to suddenly, sitting up instantly like a zombie, looking around. My bandana was on my face, wait, when did I wear it?
My face was just stuck staring forward, I don't know why, guess I was thinking deeply about what could have caused this.
"Mister!!!!"
I flinched slightly at the voice, realizing someone was in the room, looking up, I saw a woman with two toned hair, one side white, the other black.
And her eyes, if she wasn't leaned forward with her hands clasped behind her back smiling at me, I might have felt fear.
They were such a unique yellow.
Realizing I am no longer fully numb, I rub my left eye, only then noticing.. I am not in my room.
I was nowhere that I knew of actually. A small room with only a couple chairs and a table with two coffee mugs on them.
"Here, let me help you up."
She offered me her hand, to which I took lightly, standing up and dusting my clothes.
My clothes seemed fine, not torn or crumpled from the fall I had prior to losing consciousness.
"You're probably confused.. Forget that, you're most definitely feeling anxious and worried."
To which I met her with my blank as usual face, earning me a chuckle from her, lighthearted.
"I'll get to explaining. You have already met Fuwawa and Mococo, right? They must have told you something about-"
-"HoloCorp and HoloLive? Yes. Are you part of it?"
The words just left my mouth, I cut her off in my haste, I really have been lacking in manners lately.
I didn't see every single member, and if she was, she must've been on the other groups I hadn't checked.
If only I knew this would happen, I would have.
Back to the present, she responded to my question.
-"Yes, I am, Shiori Novella, at your service."
She gave a little bow, elegant, befitting her attitude very well.
Quite opposite to her looks, she was very, very calm and collected. Upholding a single expression, that of a smile, the entire conversation so far. She made my blank-facedness quiver in shame.
-"Shiori Novella, Shiori Novella.."
I repeated the name, committing it to memory, not that I would be able to forget it anytime soon.
"I am part of HoloLive's Advent unit, Fuwawa and Mococo are my gen-mates."
New terminology to remember, unit and not groups, gen-mates and not group mates.
I nodded along as she spoke.
"They spoke of you, and guided me there. They didn't seem to catch your name when they came around. I found you unconscious when I entered."
-"Everyone just enters my apartment without making a noise don't they."
-"Hey! Had I not came and saw you passed out, you might've stayed there until you died! Show some gratefulness, eh?"
-"Right, apologies."
-"I'm just pulling your tail here, don't worry about it. I was going to come find you sooner or later. Something about you is peculiar and it won't leave my mind until I see it."
I sat in silence for a minute, then remembered she brought up the fact they don't know my name, and I internally facepalmed at my impoliteness.
-"Ah, excuse me for forgetting again, my name is Jude."
She tilted her head slightly, as if waiting for something more.
-"That's it? No last name?"
-"Oh, it's a long story."
-"You know the word Novella literally means short novel, right? Entertain my hunger for stories, Jude."
Shiori seemed really persistent in her quest for more knowledge and stories.
But this was a deeply personal matter I would not budge on staying quiet on.
-"Maybe later, for now, I want to ask questions, if you are willing to be the one entertaining me instead in this."
A giggle escaped her mouth as she took my hand and lead me to sit down, then sat opposite to me.
-"You are quite the word player, I bet you'd make a fine author."
That was a compliment, I think? Or a remark?
Anyhow, after she gestured to the coffee mug, I held it, it wasn't too hot nor too cold, if the word "warm" had a specific degree associated with it, this would be a perfect temperature.
Taking a sip, the flavor melted in my mouth, better tasting than any coffee I've personally made, not that I'm good at it.
She ushered me to talk, marking the beginning of our actual conversation.
"Speak up, come on, time waits for no one! Especially not curious minds like yourself."
---------------------------------------------------------
Intermission: Shiori Novella
Third Advent unit member Jude has met, Shiori is quite the kind individual.
She, living up to her name sake, loves reading and creating stories, it quite literally fuels her existence as "The Archivist".
Currently, she is with Jude, about to discuss HoloLive, and who knows? Maybe she will invite him over.