I still remember it, overwhelmed in that darkness, with tiring movements that clouded my thoughts.

I was stupid: defenseless against any adversity and arrogant for wanting happiness despite how weak she was.

I couldn't stand causing problems for those I cared about; I swore it wouldn't happen again, I didn't want to feel that experience again…

⸎

“And this adorable soul?” She asked, lowering her hand with a whitish device; her voice sounded childish, as did her smile, but she must have been around thirty.

She stood before me, with short ashy hair and a front braid with a boomerang clip; her reddish eyes had yellowish touches and, on her back, angel wings.

She was wearing an aquamarine piece with a single gold strap, along with a pair of cute yellow scarves with white touches tied around her waist and silver socks.

I was a bright half-blue and red jellyfish with four tentacles.

I noticed that the room was tilted; it was a tower with cylindrical walls.

“Who are you?…”

I didn't even know my location, but I was more sad than uncertain.

“Ara ra.” After a pause, she added, “A goddess? A mom? A guardian?” she introduced herself with several titles, hoping that I would understand some of them.

“A guardian?…

“Well, yes, exactly. I protect and try to make souls happy, or something like that.” She nervously danced her finger and pointed to her temple.

“…”

Uncomfortable by the silence, she continued:

“So what…?”

“I want to be a guardian too…” I interrupted and begged.

“Eh…” She was stunned by my absurd request. The normal thing in the manual was to wish to be reincarnated in another universe or to the same one. “Why do you want to be?” She tried with a simple question.

“I also want to protect those I care about…”

“If you want that, then you're not qualified,” she stated bluntly, showing me the negative factors of her job.

“What's wrong with it…?” I lowered my head in frustration and raised it angrily. “What's wrong with wanting to protect good people from abusers!?… Protecting bad people doesn't make you different from them!”

I took my frustration on her; I feared her fury as she lowered her head.

“That courage! You have captivated me! Of course you will be!” she said proudly.

⸎

“No. Also, I told you to quote me by message, do you understand, Foret?”

Her hair was black with a white gradient with touches of pink; her left eye was orange and the other purple; her left pupil was a spiked ball and the other was a snowflake.

She wore golden bandages that wrapped her wrists, chest and another one that served as shorts, the loose ends turning cyan blue; her nails were yellow.

She was shocked by the goddess's response, but she did not give up on promoting me.

“Reconsider it, please! She has pure judgment! By the way, isn't it cold?”

“Hey! she caught my attention arrogantly. “Are you sure you want to be?”

“…Yeah.”

“I don't see you convinced. You want to protect those you care about, but… do you think just thinking about it will be enough?”

She was right, what right or what would someone like me contribute?

“I know how weak and useless I am…; but if I don't do anything, I will regret it… Please, I want to be strong… Please, I want to make everyone happy! Please, I want to change!”

The goddess went from a serious attitude to a smile, Foret also became proud.

“What is your name, young lady?”

“Nugu…”

Despite what was happening, I felt empty.

“Take care of her, Foret. —Soul we bring…—”

“—…mother we become—. I know, I wasn't thinking of leaving it to you ~” she interrupted, smiling.

“You see? Sometimes you know how to listen, muahaha.”

My soul adopted my old body with aquamarine pants and shirt.

⸎

“What are you doing?” She asked when she saw me crawling in her house with a dead tail.

“I…”

“I?” Concerned, she put all her attention on me.

“It scares me… I-I get dizzy.”

“Do you want to go out?”

I nodded weakly; outside her tower, on the lawn, I asked her:

“Before I arrived… did you see my parents?”

“No.” When I lowered my tail, she added, “They must have been happy.”

I wondered how true it was…

Foret received a message; she would present me, like me, a new goddess.

It brought us together in a modern city with a cobblestone floor.

Together with the new member, she would teach us the basics, but first:

“Well, Nugu, meet Mugon. Mugon, meet Nugu. I'm Foret, delighted!”

Mugon wrote in a notebook and showed it to us with a nervous smile:

«Nice to meet you! <3»

I nodded coldly at the strange girl.

She was wearing a dirty and torn brown sleeveless cloth similar to that of a caveman, along with a black neck warmer with orange accents.

“Ara ra. First of all, come in, I'll give you a gift.”

It was a clothing store, displaying everything from chess dresses to elegant pajamas; she gave us several clothes.

«Is it okay for us to receive this?” It seems expensive,» Mugon said, feeling bad.

“It's fine, it's fine. It's my store, there are no customers, business is not going well, hehe…” she confessed whispering. “Keep it, I'm sure it will look good on you.”

We both went into the locker room to try it on immediately.

Getting dressed, I heard the conversation they were having, but Foret was the only one talking.

“Would you like to try this cosplay? It's a little revealing, but it would look perfect on you.”

They heard Foret enter her dressing room along with the commotion they were making.

“Ara ra, what's happening? Are you ashamed of being seen as you were born?”

It sounded like she was playing with her, I hurried in case the mice.

“A skirt? That dress doesn't need. Ok, ok.” She seemed to give up. “I also have bandages if you want to dress like the goddess,” she insisted, laughing, being thrown out.

When us left the locker room, she hugged us:

“Do you see it? It looks wonderful on you.”

Mugon wore a cute black sleeveless high-necked dress, the skirt had slits with orange prints of different animals; and the one she ordered below, also orange.

She wore long black and orange striped stockings; and some black boots.

I was wearing a white short-sleeved blouse, a high-waisted tan skirt with straps, and long white and brown striped stockings with matching boots.

She flattered us and whispered different things to us, first to Mugon:

“You are pretty, your thighs are your main weapon, any man would fall captive in your clutches, make good use of your advantages.” Mugon smiled and blushed nervously.

“How cute, just seeing you would make anyone happy, take advantage of it to fulfill your dream.”

Her words caused me intertwined feelings, in my world it was horrifying.

«Nugu, do you think it looks good on me? (////)»

I wasn't in the mood for games, so I ignored her; they both looked at each other for my reaction.

Seeing my attitude, Foret continued suggesting things.

“Okay, I'll take you to a fun place, follow me!”

⸎

The receptionist at a park offered us stickers to wear on our cheeks.

“Well, can you wait here? I'll be right back.” With her look she entrusted Mugon with my care, and she nodded.

We were near some benches, dead leaves adorned the cobblestone floor.

«Nugu, don't you think it's cute? Penguins are the most romantic and faithful animals,» she explained nervously, pointing to her sticker.

“…” Since I met her, I haven't spoken to her.

Time and time again she tried to communicate with me, when she was just trying to cheer me up.

And when she was already giving up…

“It's cute…”

When she heard me, she was so happy that she reaffirmed:

«True!?»

“Wouldn't it be faster if you spoke?… Why are you getting so complicated?…” I asked her openly because of her annoying way of expressing himself.

She opened up, explained her past and her disability to me.

Faced with her story, I couldn't help but cry; even though she was having a worse time, I only worried about myself, thinking I was the only one suffering.

At no point did she show weakness, she bent down and hugged me.

Showing me that smile, I envied her way of being, her willpower and her kindness.

I remembered how weak I was, and how strong I would like to be like the girl who hugged me.

Foret returned reassuring me with some delicious milk ice creams.

We entered some steps, the lights went out and, scared, I clung to Mugon.

⸎

⸎

I woke up in the bathtub, tired and melancholic. I dove in and emerged slapping my cheeks.

I went out to the mirror arranging my long hair; I felt stupid remembering that I cut it…