His boots made a hollow echoing sound with each step he took, and when he finally descended the final step, he looked around the with a dulled expression. It had taken him... a lot longer than he thought to find this place, and now that he found it, he felt... well, disappointed.

The "cove" turned out to be some tiny a** room, barely lit with some tiny a** torch, and it seemed that the "walls" were made by these weird stupid slabs of glowy stone stuck on at weird angles. Whoever designed this room clearly had poor taste. He also heard that faint humming sound from before. Ugh.

He stepped closer to the wall, taking a closer look at the areas lit by the torch, seeing strange shapes etched into the stone. This... looked like a sword? And this one... a whip? Brushing one with his hand made him shiver, and he quickly pulled his hand back.

This... was completely stupid. What the hell did that girl meant by "finding their partner"? Surely, weapons were just weapons, not "partners". She acted as if they were living things. How stupid. Not only that, but there CLEARLY weren't any weapons here. Just... chunks of rock. Fabulous.

"Ugh, just WHERE the hell am I supposed to- he stopped himself, remembering the girl mocking him. "Tsk, this is so stupid."
Stupid, stupid, stupid.



Jake spun around immediately.
"WHO'S THERE?"

Silence.

"SHOW YOURSELF."



Jake hesitated.



Ok, he had enough of this.

"THAT'S IT, COME OUT HERE AND SHOW YOURSELF YOU PIECE OF s**t, OR I'LL FREAKING DRAG YOU OUT HERE MYSELF." He shouted, smacking the wall in frustration.



Jake flinched at the exclamation. It sounded like... someone shouted in his head?
... Wait.
He clutched his head. Was that voice... speaking to him... INSIDE HIS HEAD?



A voice in his head.
No.
Nononononono this was completely stupid. He was hallucinating. This place was driving him crazy and he was going to leave now. He turned to head back up the stairs when he was assaulted by the voice again.


... Why should he wait?

Nope he was going to leave now.

He stopped.


... Surely this was a trick. He was being tested. He wouldn't fall for it.
But he couldn't help but be curious.

"... Who the hell are you?"
<... If you're asking my name, it's Chester.>

Jake snorted.
"The hell kinda name is that? What are you pretending to be, a cat? Mister invisible Chester cheshire cat? Is that why I can't see you? Why you're playing mind tricks on me?"
A pause.

Another pause.

... What?


... His right? There was only the WALL there, and-
Oh, now he saw it.
A slab of stone that he had hit seemed to pulse softly, and he heard that humming sound with more intensity.
Taking a closer look, he noticed an image of... twin blades, etched onto it. At least, they LOOKED like blades.

"... Are you supposed to be my so-called 'weapon'? My 'partner'?
He found this harder and harder to believe.
He heard a sigh in his head.


"Because you're a FREAKING PIECE OF ROCK."
<... Pull me out.>
What?
.
The voice sounded exasperated.

Jake sighed. This was completely stupid. Here he was, talking to the wall. Completely stupid.
Regardless, he yanked the stone out, if only to shut the voice up.

The "stone" began to shift and change in his hand, forming into two blade-like weapons.
Intrigued, he grasped one in each hand.
It felt... foreign to him, yet... right, like he was meant to wield these.

A relieved sigh echoed in his head.

Silence.


Jake stiffened. Partners.
He wasn't looking for this.
The voice seemed to sense his hesitation.



Jake huffed.
Somehow, he felt like he was going to regret this. But for now...

"...My name is Jake."