The sea of darkness encompassing Rhea follows her into the afterlife; persisting for what feels like an eternity. The booming presence of emptiness encased her, yet she felt shrouded with an unfamiliar warmth as she was carried across nothingness. This spiritual trek found Rhea watching herself drift in the third person, her nude body limp and eyes shut. 

Is… is that me…?  

She continues drifting along. 

Hrringg… rrrrghk! No good… I can’t move… But where would I even go?

A solemn tone blankets her thoughts. 

Where am I…? Is this Hell? Was I even bad enough to be sent there? No… it can’t be. If it’s not hell then… this must be Heaven! 

Wait a sec, was I even good enough to be sent to Heaven? I don’t think so. I never imagined Heaven would be so dark. Then what is this place? What is this feeling…? If this isn’t Heaven or Hell, then maybe I got sent somewhere in between. I must… I must be in Purgatory.

Her continuous drifting seems unending. 

I just noticed… how long have I been here? I’m only now waking up… who’s to say I wasn’t drifting in this place for days, months, or even years? Do I deserve to be here? On second thought… I probably do… I wasn’t an evil person but… I wasn’t super good either. 

A sudden flash of her deceased husband rings in her head. 

I used him… what right do I have to complain about a second chance, a real authentic love life when all I used my husband for is money? This must be what I get. Screw trying to get a second chance. I laid my bed, and I may as well rest in it. I just hope that I eventually stop thinking. Leaving me to my thoughts is torture, it’s way worse than sending me to Hell. I wonder how long I have to drift here before my mind stops thinking. Hopefully sooner than later…

Suddenly, a blinding light begins to pour in from the edge of darkness. Her body is carried towards the rays, a gentle warmth caressing her frame as she is carried forward. 

Wait! Is that… the entrance to Heaven? Am I being saved? Was I really a good person to begin with?

Rhea laughs jubilantly inside her head. 

 Hahaha! No way! God is forgiving me! He’s letting me live in paradise!

Her body drifts closer and faster towards the light.

Yes! Finally! A proper rest! A second chance to live with angels! Here I come!

Rhea’s body comes closer and closer to the light. The rays become so blinding until eventually, nothing is in sight. 

I’ve made it! I’ve made it into Heaven!

“...This isn’t Heaven, this is my bedroom!” 

 An unfamiliar voice echoes in her ears. Rhea’s vision starts to clear, and she finds herself awakening lying, inside a wooden boxed bed. Her vision is skewed as she lays on her side, and when her eyes fully adjust to the light, she sees a young man with burgundy hair tied into a ponytail. He had a slim cat tail and short cat ears which matched his hair color. A cream-colored tabard covered his torso, while black rugged pants hugged his legs; a piece of turquoise jewelry also hung around his neck. His burgundy eyes meet Rhea’s purple eyes. He holds his hand up to greet her, smiling while doing so. 

“Yo! Good morning!” 

Rhea nearly leaps out of her box bed.

"AHH!"

To her surprise, she bonks the top of her head against the ceiling of the box.

BAM

The damage causes her to hunch and recline back down while rubbing the top of her head. 

“Owowow…” 

“Woah,” The cat boy gasps. “Be careful! Don’t break my bed! I sleep there!” 

Rhea rubs the top of her head, but swiftly regains her composure. Her uncertainty of her surroundings left her on edge. She inches away from the man’s curious eyes. 

“Wh-where am I,” Rhea asks, still rubbing her head. “Who are you?!”

The cat boy chuckles. 

“You’re in a box, silly! You’re sleeping in my bed. Well, you were. You started mumbling a lot about the afterlife so I figured it was time for you to rise and shine!” 

Rhea looks up and around the mattress, she lays on. It’s quite spacious. The cat boy sees the woman inspecting the furniture and takes it as though she’s admiring the piece, causing him to smile. 

“Ya like it? It’s a really comfy box! As for your other question,”

He confidently points to himself with his thumb.  

“My name’s Row! Row Mitsu! Who’re you supposed to be, lady?”

Flabbergasted, Rhea’s mouth remained agape. Her eyes wandered all over the place, trying to make heads or tails of the situation. Row tilts his head, confused by her behavior. 

“Er… hello?” 

Rhea’s flustered eyes take a second look at Row. She now notices his cat ears, and her eyes widen. She points at his ears. 

“Y-you’re a cat?!” 

Row’s ears twitch. 

“Cat? What’s a cat,” Row’s eyes aim upward. “Are you talking about my ears? Cat? I’ve no idea what a cat is, lady. If you’re talkin’ about what I am, I’m a Kotka!”  

“K-Kotka?” 

In his excitement, Row grabs the side of his box bed, shaking it slightly, and startling Rhea. 

“But enough about me, lady. I already introduced myself! You got a name?” 

Unsure whether to answer or not, Rhea timidly complies. 

“Fine… my name’s-”

Rhea partially lifts the blanket placed upon her body, and immediately feels a cold breeze come in. She looks down and sees her well-endowed chest. From top to bottom, she is naked. Without a second thought, she pulls the blanket down and clutches it to her body. 

“I’m naked!”

Row scratches the side of his head. 

“Naked, huh? That’s a weird name. Did your mom or dad name you that?”

BANG

Rhea slams her hand against the box bed while holding onto the blanket with the other. The sudden sound makes Row jump. 

“Eep!”  

“That’s not my name, you idiot! I’m not wearing any clothes!” She shouts. 

Rhea points a stern finger at a clueless-looking Row. 

“Did you take my clothes off when I was sleeping, you perv?!”

“Me?” He asks while pointing to himself. “I didn’t do anything like that. Lucerna found you in the middle of the field just outside of town. She said you were lyin’ there in nothin’ but a birthday suit!”

Rhea clutches her sheets while blushing. 

“Wh-what?!”

Row nods happily. 

“Yeah! She dragged you all the way from the field and put you in my room!”

Rhea falls to her side on Row’s bed. Her intense shivering was causing the box bed to shake furiously. 

“D-d-d-d-did anyone see?! Was anyone looking?!” Rhea’s eyes aim at Row. “Were you looking?!”

A smirk flows across his mouth as he boasts a confident expression. 

“Heh. Of course, I was.” 

A dark aura surrounds the woman, frightening Row to his core. 

“That’ll be the last thing you see…”

Row backs off and puts up both hands to his side. 

“I-I was just kidding! Hehehehe…” He laughs nervously. “Cut me a break! It’s kinda hard to not stare when she brought you in when you had no clothes on…” 

Row brings the tension of the conversation back to a steady flow. 

“No clothes aside, I’m so glad you’re awake! We thought you were attacked by monsters! So why were you out in the middle of the field? Who took your clothes? Did you get robbed? Jumped by goblins? Demons,” Row puts his hands up and playfully moves his fingers around, “Some creepy crawly insects?” 

Rhea looks past Row. 

“Wait a sec… this isn’t Heaven?”

“Heaven? Haha, no, nothin’ like that!”  

Row walks to the opposite side of the room, pushing his arms out to open the window and let in some fresh air. The radiant sun’s light showers his fair skin. He spreads his arms wide, taking in the heavenly goodness of the star above. 

“You’re in Miasto. Home of my people, the Kotka.” 

Miasto resides in the far corner of Ziemia, the new world Rhea was greeted to. It was a rather small village resting on a hill with a view of a boundless ocean beyond; its architecture was primarily made of wood, some of the buildings still standing despite the tests of time. The Kotka were the cat-like creatures wandering about the small village; some were slender, and some were of decent build; there was hardly any room for bigger Kotka given how naturally active their tribe is. Many Kotka walked about the early hours of the morning, the young children playing among themselves, leaping across the grounds, jumping atop ledges and small homes which they casually parkoured off of. 

The young adults strolled with friends and significant others, partaking in local outdoor eateries or simply mingling with one another. The village was vibrant, bursting at the seams with a familial air. 

Row whips his head back toward Rhea, who tries to peek out of the window from her corner of the room. 

“Now that you’re awake, I suppose you wouldn’t mind a stroll around the town?” 

Rhea groans. 

“Not without some clothes…” 

“Ah, yeah. Almost forgot about that,” Row struts over to his closet. “Here, lemme see if I can fetch you somethin’ to wear.”

Row tugs and pushes a row of clothes. Eventually, he pulled out a modest, sleeveless yellow dress that was akin to more function than it was style. He also hands her a pair of pink ladies' britches with some leather greaves and brown boots. He gathers them all up and crouches to the floor, laying them in front of the box bed. 

“Here ya go,” he groans, lifting himself off the floor. “Hopefully that oughta fit ya.” 

“Thanks…” 

Row stands there, watching as Rhea reaches from within the box bed to grab the clothing. She has her hands on the articles, then looks up to see Row still waiting. She frowns. 

“Do you mind…?”

“O-oh yeah! You’re going to change…” 

Row makes his way to the exit. 

“I’ll give ya a few minutes to get up, stretch, and do whatever.” 

Row closes the wooden door behind him, leaving Rhea to her own devices. 

A few minutes passed and Rhea changed into her outfit. Row also returns to his room. His eyes are ogling Rhea. 

“Wow,” he rubs his chin, “You look really good in that stuff!” 

“Thanks, but,” Rhea inspects herself from head to toe, “Why is it that you have a lady’s dress and underwear?” 

A smirk flows across his mouth as he boasts a confident expression. 

“I’ll have you know I have quite the silver tongue, Miss. It’ll only be a matter of time before you’re under my spell too.”

“Ah-” Rhea blushes. “Are you serious?!”

“Hehehe,” Row laughs. “Just kiddin’!”

Rhea scowls. 

“That’s not funny!” 

“Now, now, don’t be like that,” Row fixes his composure, his face becoming more serious. “In actuality that used to belong to my mother.”

Rhea plants her hands on her full hips.

“Your mother? If that’s the case, don’t you have something else I could throw on? I don’t feel super comfortable wearing your mom’s clothing. 

“Unfortunately, no. I don’t have anything else regarding women’s clothing. And I don’t mind that you’re wearing my mother’s clothing. It’s not as though she’s here with us.” 

Row’s blunt telling of information sent Rhea aback. 

“Oh… sorry…”

“Don’t worry,” Row smiles. “If we have time to talk more later, then that will be a story for another day.”

Row makes his way to the exit. 

“For now, we need to head through town and get Lucerna. When I stepped out earlier when you were changing, I think the locals got her held up and questioned about your existence. It’s a shame too. She really wanted to be here when you woke up, but she’s always an unintentional attention hog.” 

“Right…” 

Row opens the door and steps to the side, gesturing to the woman with his hand. 

“Let’s be on our way then.”

Rhea nods. 

“Beats sitting in bed, I guess…” 

Rhea’s boots echo across the hardwood floor as she stomped her way to the exit. Before she leaves, she stops and turns to Row. 

“Oh, by the way…”

“Hm?” Row looks up. 

She turns to him with a tired expression. 

“My name’s Rhea. Rhea Evanthelle.”

Row smiles and nods. 

“Pleased to make your acquaintance, Rhea. I hope you and I can become fast friends.” 

Rhea nods awkwardly, her eyes still wondering about. Finally, she exits Row’s home, with the Kotka following closely. The young man closes the door behind him, the outside world greeting Rhea with open arms and inquisitive eyes.