Chapter 1: ๐๐๐๐ ๐ ; โฆ โ๐๐-๐๐-๐๐๐๐โ
Chapter Text
โโ โฏ0 โงโโห๊ฐPrologue and Warnings๊ฑเผโ
.ใใใใใใใใใใโ โ โ โฆ โ โ ใใใใใใใใใใใใใใโ โ โ โ โ * โ โ โ .ใใใใใใใใใใ. โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โฆโ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ .ใใใใใใใใใใใใใ.ใใใ๏พ .ใใใใใใใใใใใใใ. ใใใใใใใใใใใใใใใโฆ ใใใใใ,ใใใใใใใ.โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ ใใใใใใ*ใใใใใใใใใใใ.ใใใใใใใใใใใใใ. ใใโฆโ ใโโโใใใ,ใใใใใใใใใ*ใใใใใโ ใใใใโ ใใ,โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ .ใใใใใโใใโ ใใใโ .ใใใหใใใโ ใโ โโใใ,ใใใใใใ.ใใใใใใใใใใใใใ.ใใใใใใ*โ ใใโ โโใใใใใโ โฆโ ใใใใใใใ*ใใใใใใใใใใใใใใใใใใ.ใใใใ.ใใใใ.ใใใโ ใใใใใใใใใใใ.ใใใใใใใใใใหใใใใใใใใ๏พใใใใใ.ใ.โ ใใโ โโ โโ โโ โโ โโ โโ โโ โโ โโ โโ ,ใใใ*ใใโ .ใใใใใ.ใใใใใใใใใใโ โฆใหใใใใใใใใใใใใใใ.โ ใใใใใใใใใใ.ใใใใใใใใ.ใใใใใโฆโ ใโโโใใใ,ใใโโโโใใใใใใใใ.โ โ โ โ โ โ .ใใใใใใใใใใโ โ โ โฆ โ โ ใใใใใใใใใใใใใใโ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ .ใใใใใใใใใใ. โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โฆโ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ .ใใใใใใใใใใใใใ.ใใใ๏พ .ใใใใใใใใใใใใใ. ใใใ
ย
Like the Stars...
For as long as I can remember, Iโve looked up at the night sky, fascinated by the silent spectacle it displays each night. No matter how many times I watch them, I always find something new in their vastness. I believe that, in some corner of their glow, there are answers weโll never know, secrets they guard jealously as they twinkle above our heads. Iโm certain that all of us, at some moment, have paused time for an instant to gaze at the stars, to let their light embrace us, or to lose ourselves in the glow of the moon. Itโs inevitable. Thereโs something about them that calls to us, as if they were fragments of a universal language our soul understands, even when our words cannot.
For humanity, the stars have been much more than lights in the sky. Theyโve guided lost travelers, inspired poems and songs, and symbolized what seems unreachable:ย hope,ย eternity,ย purpose. But for me, theyโre something more. I feel their brilliance woven into myย skin, their essence flowing in myย blood, as if, in some way, they and I share a destiny. Although, to be honest, I shouldnโt be here. This wasnโt my path.
Until just eight months ago, I was just an ordinary high school girl. My worries were hating classes, deciding what ice cream flavor to pick on the way home, playing video games late into the nightโฆ I thought the greatest pain in life was losing someone you love. But I was wrong. I discovered thereโs nothing worse than losing yourself, fading until you barely remember who you were.
It all began with a choice, one seemingly insignificant, like so many others. But that decision, like a domino effect, led me to this moment. Every step I took, every road I chose, took me further away from the girl I used to be. Now, I look at my bloodstained hands and canโt help but think: what have I become? That blood is my burden, my truth, a constant reminder of the paths Iโve taken, the sacrifices Iโve made.
I remember those days when the hardest decision was choosing what manga to read after school. I always thought the worst thing in life was losing a loved one. I was wrong. Itโs losing yourself in the process. But now I know that the real terror is looking into a mirror and not recognizing yourself. If I had known then what I know now, I would have run in the opposite direction. But there are things in life you canโt escape, events that chase you down and catch up with you no matter how hard you fight to avoid them. Like them.
At first, I held onto a single wish with all my strength: to go back home. To return to normalcy, to the safe monotony that now feels like a distant dream. But that wish was devoured by something greater, something that grew inside me before I could stop it. They call it a "sense of justice," that need to right the wrongs, even when doing so means breaking yourself into pieces. It means losing the ground beneath your feet and pressing on with broken bones.
Now, my only goal is to survive. But survival isnโt enough. Every time I try to ignore whatโs wrong, my conscience reminds me. I canโt look away. I canโt close my eyes. And with every battle, with every choice that tears away a piece of who I was, I feel myself fading more and more. The memories of the girl I used to be vanish like ink washed away by time.
Who was I before all this? I barely know. Sometimes I wonder if, after all, Iโm like the stars: a light that persists in the darkness, though destined to burn out. Maybe they, too, feel the weight of their brilliance, the loneliness of being a beacon in the void. Am I like the stars because I carry their glow within me, or because, like them, Iโm destined to burn until thereโs nothing left?...
Do you remember what we promised?....
I'm not gonna lose anyone else close to me again...
We swear we will always be there for each other.
No matter what happens though, I promise that I'll protect them
LET'S SEE, DON'T SKIP THIS!
As I already guessed, I returned to the Okegom fandom and came up with an idea for a fanfic. There will be many characters who, as the wiki says, still haven't made their "formal debut in Deep-Sea Prisoner's creations," and the only luck we have is that there might be a sentence talking about their personality, so I'll try to make them as close to what could possibly be canon as I can.
The protagonist HAS A NICKNAME, but this is just for the author's convenience, meaning me. I find it uncomfortable to put ____ or (Y/N), but the protagonistโs physical appearance depends solely on you.
You can imagine her however you want since her hair color, eye color, skin tone, and body type are never specified.
And this is when I ask YOU TO COMMENT! It costs you nothing, and I put a lot of effort into making the chapters. I'm not a mind reader; I canโt know whether you like it or not. It's the most valuable interaction you can give me, at least, since I lose motivation easily if I feel like what I do is being ignored.
Please, comment.
AND NOW, THE WARNINGS: Okegom's worlds are a walking warning, and this fanfic is no exception. I'll make a summarized list:
- violence
- Physical abuse
- Torture
- ย Trauma
- Dissociation
- Non-consensual acts
- Psychological horror
- Kidnapping
- Strong language
- Stalking
- Harassment
- Obsessive behaviors
- Manipulation
- โโโYanderesโโโโ
Chapter 2: ึด โฆ . โฏ1 โ The Reminiscences of Stars? โน โ
Notes:
I know, it took me exactly 8 weeks to upload ONE CHAPTER. I'm sorry, but well, during my time away, I managed to modify the outline I had for this fanfic. Without a doubt, Iโll continue working on it.
Sometimes, I might upload shorter chapters that could be split into two parts (also because I have an important exam coming up, but I donโt want to completely neglect this fanfic).
For me, itโs a big step forward that instead of starting a new fanfic, Iโm actually continuing one I had already planned.
Chapter Text
หโโง๊ฐโDarkness has just engulfed the universe we know
The lament that you sing can't reach ears anymore
We are still far away from reaching clear blue skies
Go ahead, keep shooting, with that ray gun, fight!โ๊ฑ โ .โง
ย
.ใใใใใใใใใใโ โ โ โฆ โ โ ใใใใใใใใใใใใใใโ โ โ โ โ * โ โ โ .ใใใใใใใใใใ. โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โฆโ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ .ใใใใใใใใใใใใใ.ใใใ๏พ .ใใใใใใใใใใใใใ. ใใใใใใใใใใใใใใใโฆ ใใใใใ,ใใใใใใใ.โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ ใใใใใใ*ใใใใใใใใใใใ.ใใใใใใใใใใใใใ. ใใโฆโ ใโโโใใใ,ใใใใใใใใใ*ใใใใใโ ใใใใโ ใใ,โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ .ใใใใใโใใโ ใใใโ .ใใใหใใใโ ใโ โโใใ,ใใใใใใ.ใใใใใใใใใใใใใ.ใใใใใใ*โ ใใโ โโใใใใใโ โฆโ ใใใใใใใ*ใใใใใใใใใใใใใใใใใใ.ใใใใ.ใใใใ.ใใใโ ใใใใใใใใใใใ.ใใใใใใใใใใหใใใใใใใใ๏พใใใใใ.ใ.โ ใใโ โโ โโ โโ โโ โโ โโ โโ โโ โโ โโ ,ใใใ*ใใโ .ใใใใใ.ใใใใใใใใใใโ โฆใหใใใใใใใใใใใใใใ.โ ใใใใใใใใใใ.ใใใใใใใใ.ใใใใใโฆโ ใโโโใใใ,ใใโโโโใใใใใใใใ.โ โ โ โ โ โ .ใใใใใใใใใใโ โ โ โฆ โ โ ใใใใใใใใใใใใใใโ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ .ใใใใใใใใใใ. โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โฆโ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ .ใใใใใใใใใใใใใ.ใใใ๏พ .ใใใใใใใใใใใใใ. ใใใใ
Your hands were occupied with bags that felt like they contained bricks instead of simple manga volumes. You felt that if you stood still for another second, your arms would go on strike and drop them right there on the platform. But none of that mattered because you were too happy. After an exhausting hunt, you had finally gotten your hands on the physical volume of Hananoi-kun to Koi no Yamai.
"Seriouslyโฆ You spent an entire hour choosing just two manga. One hour. It was exhausting, and on top of that, the store clerk kept looking at us like we were about to stuff something under our hoodies at any moment." Your friend, Yuri, sounded like a soldier who had survived a war. She let out a heavy sigh and clung to the strap of her backpack as if it were her last source of emotional stability.
"Oh, come on, you just love to complain." You grinned, hugging your new treasure with pride. Nothing was going to ruin your euphoric state. Not the paranoid store clerk. Not the paralyzing indecision that had made you hesitate between two titles for sixty endless minutes. Not even the fact that the train, once again, was running late.
"If you say so..." Yuri didnโt seem in the mood to argue. Instead, she pulled out her phone and, after a few seconds, announced the inevitable: "Of course, the train is delayed again."
Without any surprise, you stepped toward the stationโs announcement board, weaving through the growing crowd. Most of the posted papers were the usual: private tutoring ads, ridiculously expensive rental offers, cafรฉ promotions with French names to seem fancy. But one, in particular, caught your attention.
"Missing: Kurumi Ueda."
You read it aloud. The first thing that caught your eye was the girlโs uniform in the photo. It was the same one you were wearing.
"Oh, Kurumi," Yuri commented without much emotion as she glanced over your shoulder. "She was in our year, but in a different class."
You turned your head toward her, surprised. "Really? I hadnโt noticed."
"I figured," she replied with a half-smile before shrugging. "Doesn't matter. Sheโs been missing since the start of the school year. They havenโt found a single clue. Sheโs probably dead."
"Thatโs cold." You chuckled softly, just as the sound of the approaching train interrupted the conversation.
"I feel bad for her family, but Iโm just stating the obvious." Yuri averted her gaze and prepared to board the train. Once the passengers had finished disembarking, both of you squeezed through the crowd and, luckily, managed to find seats together. The moment you sat down, you felt the weight of the entire day crash down on you.
"I canโt wait to get home and put on my pajamas," you murmured, closing your eyes and letting yourself fantasize about the wonderful idea of a peaceful afternoon. No classes, no worriesโjust you and your new manga.
However, out of the corner of your eye, you saw Yuri rummaging through her backpack. When she found what she was looking for, she handed you a pamphlet.
Before you could ask, she spoke:
"Theyโre alternative options for high school, you know, ways to finish your mandatory studies without suffering so much. You can even go to university afterward if you want." You froze. Of all the things you expected Yuri to hand youโgum, forgotten earbuds, even a random rock she found on the street and thought was prettyโthis was definitely not on the list.
Your face must have been quite something because she rolled her eyes.
"Donโt look at me like that. I asked the counselor for you because I knew you wouldnโt do it yourself. Youโre struggling this year, and itโs your last year of high school. You should start thinking about what youโre going to do with your life."
You knew she was speaking out of concern, but that didnโt make it any less irritating. You hated talking about school outside of school. And even more, you hated talking about the future. Because if there was one thing that scared you more than surprise tests, it was the fact thatโฆ well, you had no idea what to do with your life.
You took the pamphlet without a word and stuffed it into your backpack without bothering to fold it properly.
"Thanks," you muttered with effort. Silence settled between you two, and the trip continued in uncomfortable calm.
Until suddenly, the train came to an abrupt stop.
You lifted your eyes from your phone at the same time as Yuri, and both of you stared at each other. A confused murmur spread through the carriage. You looked out the window and noticed how the sky had suddenly darkened. A storm seemed to be approaching.
And then you heard it. A female voice humming a melody. Soft, sweetโฆ and strangely familiar. You instinctively stood up.
"Do you hear that?" you asked Yuri.
She frowned. "Hear what?"
"The song."
Yuri looked at you as if you had just declared that cats were actually alien spies. "Did you finally lose it?" But you didnโt react to her joke. Because, for some reason, your brain refused to ignore that song.
"Watch my bags and backpack." It was all you managed to say before you started walking without looking back. Yuri called your name, her tone filled with confusion and a hint of annoyance, but you didnโt stop.
That voice kept echoing in your head, sweet and familiar, like a lullaby you once heard and then forgot.
Your steps became automatic, moving from one carriage to the next. The lights flickered slightly overhead, and with each door you crossed, the murmur of passengers faded little by little. Until, without realizing how, you ended up in a completely empty carriage.
Not just emptyโฆ but darker.
The air here felt differentโdenser, colder. The buzzing of electricity in the fluorescent lights was the only thing breaking the silence. But the voice was still there, and now you were sure it was coming from this carriage.
You took a few more steps, suddenly feeling like the protagonist of a bad horror movie ignoring all the warning signs.
And just as you reached the center of the carriageโฆ she appeared.
A figure materialized out of nowhere, so suddenly that your body reacted before your mind could. You stumbled backward, feeling your heartbeat accelerate as if a primitive survival instinct had just kicked in.
It was a girl.
Or at least, she looked like a girl.
The first thing you noticed were her white rabbit ears, long and fluffy, twitching slightly as if reacting to your ragged breathing. But the longer you looked at her, the stranger her appearance became. Her skin was pale, almost translucent under the dim light, and her golden eyes were huge, shining with an almost unnatural intensity.
Before you could process the situation, she took your hand in hers and shook it enthusiastically, her smile so wide it seemed like it would split her face in two.
"Finally, we meet! I must have given your family great genesโyou look very healthyโฆ though with dark circles!" With a purely instinctive reflex, you pulled your hand away from hers. Something about her touch made your skin crawlโtoo cold, too firm. You looked at her with a mix of discomfort and distrust, analyzing her as if she were the strangest creature youโd ever encountered (and you had seen some pretty weird things at anime conventions).
"Whoโฆ who are you?" She tilted her head like a curious puppy, but her smile didnโt waver.
"My name isnโt important right now, though you can call meโฆ The Reminiscences of Star." Your eye twitched slightly.
<<Yeah, sure, and next, youโll tell me youโre the queen of the Celestial Rabbit Kingdom, right?>> you thought.You tried to turn away immediatelyโno way you were going to humor a possible schizophrenic cosplayer in the middle of a train carriage. But the moment you took a step, an inhuman force grabbed your uniform and yanked you back as if you were a rag doll.
You trembled. Not from cold, but because suddenly, reality feltโฆ different.
The girl sighed with a childish pout, puffing out her cheeks as if she were disappointed.
"Iโm really sorry I have to rely on you, truly. I thought traditions would be upheld in your family and that you wouldnโt forget something as important as your lineage. But well, I suppose thatโs what happens when someone is raised as a normal human, Yume."
Your brain was still processing the word lineage when something far more unsettling hit you.
She had just said your name.
Your stomach twisted.
You don't remember telling her.
Your hands tense, one gripping the sleeve of your opposite arm. Your breathing becomes shallow, and you feel a pressure in your chest that wasnโt there before.
"W-Whatโฆ what are you saying?" you murmur, but your voice is barely a whisper.
She doesnโt answer immediately. Instead, she steps closer, and before you can react, she takes your face in her cold hands and presses her forehead against yours.
A shiver runs down your spine.
"I'm not asking you to save the world," she whispers, her tone soft but unwavering. "I just want to return you to the world where you truly belong. I know you have your life here, but you are not one of them. You must follow a different path than theirs. This is how it must be. Itโs in your blood. I gave it to you. Use it."
Every word feels like an invisible rope wrapping around you, tightening around your chest, suffocating you in a sensation that is strangely familiar.
She smiles one last time before leaning in and pressing a kiss to your forehead.
And then, everything disappears.
You disappear.
The train car is empty once more.
The golden-eyed girl slowly lowers her arms, her expression turning melancholic as she gazes at the space where you once stood.
Her rabbit ears tremble slightly.
"This world doesnโt have much time left anyway," she murmurs, more to herself than to anyone else. "This is for the bestโฆ I'm sorry. I know you're strong. After all, you are an extension of me."
And with those words, the darkness within the train car seems to consume her too, pulling her back to where she came from.
ย
DON'T FORGENT TO COMMENT!ย HELPS ME TO STAY MOTIVATED
ย
I also had to make up a last name for Kurumi, for those who know who Kurumi is:
AND THE REMINISCENCES OF STAR [Thereโs so little information about her that itโs incredible, and sheโs in the highest category of characters. So her behavior and other possible things are assumptions and because is almost no information about her personality or role. (I love her)]:
Chapter 3: ึด โฆ . โฏ2 โ Please Let This Be a Dreamโน โ แต
Notes:
หโโง๊ฐโI made a few changes to the organization, mainly because I modified the outline I have for this story and its plot. Just the first world, Ne-No-Kuni, will have approximately 24+ chapters, so I decided to divide the story into parts, with the current one being Ne-No-Kuni, obviously.โ๊ฑ โ .โง
หโโง๊ฐโWhile writing this chapter, I kept checking the character wiki and the Absolete Dream manga. I have this strange obsession with making the characters resemble their canon versions as much as possible, so I felt pretty insecure writing the few lines of dialogue there are, afraid Iโd mess something up. I guess Iโll calm down in the next chaptersโ๊ฑ โ .โง
Chapter Text
.ใใใใใใใใใใโ โ โ โฆ โ โ ใใใใใใใใใใใใใใโ โ โ โ โ * โ โ โ .ใใใใใใใใใใ. โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โฆโ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ .ใใใใใใใใใใใใใ.ใใใ๏พ .ใใใใใใใใใใใใใ. ใใใใใใใใใใใใใใใโฆ ใใใใใ,ใใใใใใใ.โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ ใใใใใใ*ใใใใใใใใใใใ.ใใใใใใใใใใใใใ. ใใโฆโ ใโโโใใใ,ใใใใใใใใใ*ใใใใใโ ใใใใโ ใใ,โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ .ใใใใใโใใโ ใใใโ .ใใใหใใใโ ใโ โโใใ,ใใใใใใ.ใใใใใใใใใใใใใ.ใใใใใใ*โ ใใโ โโใใใใใโ โฆโ ใใใใใใใ*ใใใใใใใใใใใใใใใใใใ.ใใใใ.ใใใใ.ใใใโ ใใใใใใใใใใใ.ใใใใใใใใใใหใใใใใใใใ๏พใใใใใ.ใ.โ ใใโ โโ โโ โโ โโ โโ โโ โโ โโ โโ โโ ,ใใใ*ใใโ .ใใใใใ.ใใใใใใใใใใโ โฆใหใใใใใใใใใใใใใใ.โ ใใใใใใใใใใ.ใใใใใใใใ.ใใใใใโฆโ ใโโโใใใ,ใใโโโโใใใใใใใใ.โ โ โ โ โ โ .ใใใใใใใใใใโ โ โ โฆ โ โ ใใใใใใใใใใใใใใโ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ .ใใใใใใใใใใ. โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โฆโ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ .ใใใใใใใใใใใใใ.ใใใ๏พ .ใใใใใใใใใใใใใ. ใใ
To your shame โand with a bit of unnecessary dramaโ you almost cry when you feel the ground vanish beneath your feet. Thereโs no time to scream, no time to mentally prepare. You just fall. One second youโre on solid ground, the next you're swallowing the void like itโs a vacuum from hell. And of course, it all ends with a hard thud against the floor.
โOw!โ you protest, scrunching your face as if that would somehow ease the pain.
While trying to catch your breathโand your dignityโyou press your palms to the ground to sit up, but then something... moves beneath your hand.
Your body freezes. A chill runs down your spine like someone just turned down the volume of life. You dare to look down, your heart pounding against your ribs like a war drumโฆ and there it is.
A snake.
A real snake. Flesh, scales, and an inquisitive gaze.
You recoil with a scream that you didnโt know could come out of you that high-pitched.
โAAAH!! A SNAKE!!โ you shriek like thatโs going to help somehow.
You try to shake it off with clumsy movements, half dancing and half spasming like you're acting out a bad exorcism. But the damn thing clings to your arm like youโre its new home. You brace for the bite, the pain, the mouth-foaming, and the end credits of your life... but it never comes. It doesnโt bite. It just stays there, like a living bracelet.
You take a deep breath. Again. And again. One more time.
โOkay, it doesnโt bite. Good. Weโre fine... I think.โ
You start looking at it more closely. Thereโs a sort of dotted scar just below its head, like itโs been through some kind of surgery or something. The snake looks at you. It looks at you like it understands more than it should. And then, it hisses. It sounds less like โhissssโ and more like โfor the love of God, shut up,โ which, in hindsight, doesn't really help calm you down.
Then you notice something move beyond the bushes around you. You freeze again. This placeโฆ it doesnโt look familiar. No buildings, no roads, no distant sound of cars. Just trees, breeze, and the persistent hammering of your anxiety.
Your stomach twists. Your fists clench. Fear rises and falls through your body like a temperamental wave. You feel like you could cry again, but you force yourself to keep it together. This isn't a movie. Thereโs no script to follow. Youโre alone. And lost. And clearly no longer in your world.
But just as youโre about to panic again, a voice sounds not too far away. Deep, lazy, but dangerous. One of those voices that makes you think, โoh great, this is going to end badly.โ
Instinctively, you mimic the snake on your arm and peek your head through the bushes. You donโt know why you do it. Maybe because you canโt stand being in the dark. Maybe because curiosity killed the cat, and youโre basically one.
What you see makes you squint like thatโll help you make sense of it.
A man.
Messy blue hair, skin so pale it could be mistaken for plaster. Pointed ears. And not one, but two tails swaying with that kind of natural arrogance. Heโs clearly enjoying himself. The tails look like they were taken from some premium demon catalog.
Your mind scrambles to connect the dots. Youโre in another world. Literally. Another world. You donโt know how, donโt know why, but that crazy girl from the train who talked to you probably had something to do with it.
You dig into the pocket of your school skirt and pull out your phone, hoping for a second that Google has a magical solution, but no. The screen is crackedโlike your faith in reality. It lights up for a moment, flickers like it's saying goodbye, and dies completely. Touchscreen useless. Youโre officially cut off.
โIโm going to burn down this whole forest,โ announces the man with the tails, as if thatโs the most normal thing in the world. You can hear the amusement in his voice.
Your eyebrow lifts purely on reflex.
โCome out, little monkey,โ he adds, and his toneโฆ well, itโs obvious heโs having a blast. Like a sadist.
The snake on your arm trembles. Trembles? Can snakes do that?
You look at the man again, then back at the snake. Little monkey? Is he talking to the snake?
And just when your brain is about to explode trying to make sense of what the hell is going on, the snake changes. Just like that, without warning. Your arm jerks, and suddenly, there are no more scales. No more animal, but a person.
A tall figure, clearly inhuman. Red eyes. Slate-gray hair tied back messily in a low ponytail. Black, curled horns that look sculpted by hand. A tail that sways like it has a mind of its own. And black hands with white nails that look as delicate as they are deadly.
Your mouth opens to say something, anything, but heโs already running. Presumably away from the blue-haired arsonist.
And you, driven by some primal impulse (or maybe because fear does weird things to logic), get up and run after him. You donโt even stop to pick up your broken phone, now forgotten among the leaves. Your mind, however, is racing faster than your legs, mentally retracing every decision that brought you here. Was it the train? That weird girl? Or just your usual terrible luck turned up to eleven?
โA human?โ you hear the blue-haired guy say in the distance.
And then you run faster. Your legs ache, your lungs burn, but you donโt stop. Fear has taken the wheel, and youโre just holding onto the passenger seat. Adrenaline pushes you forward. Danger follows close behind. And you can only think one thing as you dodge branches and leap over roots:
โI am so screwed.โ
ย
Before you can process everything that just happened โthe snake, the two-tailed demon, the wild chaseโ the trees start to thin out, as if the forest itself is politely letting you passโฆ or just doesnโt want anything more to do with you. In the distance, through the thin mist and the whisper of wind-stirred leaves, a mansion rises. Old-fashioned, large, dark. The kind of place where, in horror movies, people die just for stepping inside. And of course, youโre running straight toward it. Because apparently, youโve already made every bad decision possible today โ whatโs one more?
The man who was a snake a few minutes ago stops right in front of the entrance. His broad back tenses slightly when he notices you arriving behind him. He turns with an expression somewhere between surprise and discomfort, like he didnโt expect you to follow him. Or maybe he thought youโd faint somewhere in a bush.
You, on the other hand, are in no condition to pretend you have any dignity left. You bend forward slightly, hands on your knees, panting like you just ran a marathon. Because, well, that was basically a supernatural obstacle course.
"God... Iโm... dead," you mumble, coughing a little. "Iโm dead and this is hell. Of course it is."
"Who the hell are you?" the guy asks, taking a couple of steps toward you. His voice is rough, direct. It almost sounds like heโs more annoyed than curious. And then, just to top off the weirdness, he seems to... sniff you? He leans in a little, frowns, and declares with total certainty:
"Definitely human."
You blink, tilt your head, and your brain just freezes up like itโs been hit with a brick. How are you even supposed to talk to someone who was literally wrapped around your arm like a living bracelet five minutes ago? Is there any social protocol for this?
Your eyes drift to the mansion behind him, huge and silent, like it's waiting for something. You swallow hard. Then you muster a bit of courage and meet his gaze... for half a second. His red eyes are intense, almost intimidating. So, like any exhausted and terrified person, you drop your eyes to the ground, seeking refuge in your own words.
"My name is Yume..." you whisper, feeling smaller than you already are. "I... just want to go home."
You hate how it sounds. Fragile, shaky, with a voice threadbare and about to snap. Thereโs fear, sure, but also exhaustion, confusion, and a sharp stab of shame wedged in your throat. Your head throbs with pain. Everything about you screams "out of place."
He laughs.
Not a kind laugh, not one of relief. He laughs at you. With a mix of mockery and arrogance that makes you want to throw a rock at him โif you had the strength to find one.
"Humans... Are you all this weak?" he asks with disdain, like he expected something more.
Your blood boils. The exhaustion is still there, but from somewhere, a bit of energy sparks up, just enough to get mad.
"Says the brave guy who ran away from the blue-haired psycho!" you snap, pointing at him with your finger, indignation giving you a flicker of life.
He crosses his arms, scowling.
"I had my reasons!" he protests, almost offended.
"And Iโve got a migraine, nausea, and a thousand questions, but here I am!" you fire back.
A moment of silence. He sighs, exasperated, and gives in to the conversation reluctantly.
"Anten," he says at last, with a shrug. "Thatโs my name. This is Crow Forest, and the mansion... well, it belongs to an acquaintance. And you" he points at you with little interest, "are in Ne-No-Kuni."
You open your mouth. Then close it again. Your lips twist like you just sucked on a lemon. Ne... what?
"Excuse me?" is all you manage to say.
You donโt understand a thing. And youโre not sure if heโs being serious or if youโre actually going insane. But one thing is clear in all of this: youโre very, very far from home.
Before you can even begin to process what that means, and spoiler: it means a lot,ย the mansion door swings open, and two figures step out.
The first is a girl with short gray hair and red eyes just as intense as Antenโs. Her skin has a grayish tone that looks strange, but not unpleasant, and her black curled horns look like a nearly perfect echo of his. She has folded black wings on her back, a curled tail, and completely black hands. You get the feeling they could be siblings... or clones. Itโs kind of scary.
The second is different. More reserved. She has long, straight, ash-colored hair and is dressed like she works at a high-end funeral home: black vest, crisp white shirt, neatly tied tie. Thereโs something... unsettling in her eyes. Black sclera, lime-green irises. Each horn is different, like she collected them and glued them on for aesthetic reasons. One has stripes and a piercing; the other looks like an abstract sculpture.
Your body starts to give out. Everything wobbles like the world is a melting painting. The ringing in your head grows louder. Your headache is now a storm you canโt ignore. Itโs not just the fear, itโs the overload. Too much. Too fast. Too weird.
"Anten, where the hell were you?" asks the short-haired girl in a laid-back but sharp tone. Her voice has an edge, though she doesnโt sound particularly angry.
The other one, the quieter one, says nothing. But sheโs the first to look directly at you. Her expression doesnโt change, but something in her gaze tells you sheโs already scanned you completely. Like a demonic airport scanner.
And then it happens.
Your vision warps, the figures double, the ground seems to drift away. All eyes are on you and your mind says: "Thatโs enough."
Your body collapses. You feel the faint hit like a dark wave swallowing you whole.
And just before everything goes black, you feel something, or someone, grab your arm tightly. Stops you from slamming into the ground completely.
Because of that, your last thought before losing consciousness isnโt fear, itโs a small, bitter kind of resignation.
ย
๐ช๐ถ๐ต๐ป๐ฌ๐ต๐ป ๐พ๐จ๐น๐ต๐ฐ๐ต๐ฎ : This story contains sensitive and potentially disturbing topics. Please be advised that the harmful actions portrayed by the characters are not meant to be romanticized, excused, or normalized in any way. These actions are fictional and should not be replicated or justified in real life. Sorry for any grammatical mistakes or if something is not understood, English is not my first language!
๐ฆนย THANK YOU FOR READING! Donโt forget to leave your thoughts! Comments help keep me motivated to write. โฐ(*ยฐโฝยฐ*)โฏ
Chapter 4: โฆ . โฏ3 โ Genesis โน โ แต
Chapter Text
ใ คใ คใ คใ คใ คใ คใ คใ คใ คใ คใ คใ คใ คใ คใ คใ ค๐๐๐ฃ๐!
หโโง๊ฐโThe protagonist's character development is almost here. ใฝ๏ผโงโกโฆ๏ผใโ๊ฑ โ .โง
.ใใใใใใใใใใโ โ โ โฆ โ โ ใใใใใใใใใใใใใใโ โ โ โ โ * โ โ โ .ใใใใใใใใใใ. โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โฆโ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ .ใใใใใใใใใใใใใ.ใใใ๏พ .ใใใใใใใใใใใใใ. ใใใใใใใใใใใใใใใโฆ ใใใใใ,ใใใใใใใ.โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ ใใใใใใ*ใใใใใใใใใใใ.ใใใใใใใใใใใใใ. ใใโฆโ ใโโโใใใ,ใใใใใใใใใ*ใใใใใโ ใใใใโ ใใ,โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ .ใใใใใโใใโ ใใใโ .ใใใหใใใโ ใโ โโใใ,ใใใใใใ.ใใใใโHome and I knowโ
โPlaying the deck aboveโ
โIt's always differentโใใใใใใใ.ใใใใใใ*โ ใใโ โโใใใใใโ โฆโ ใใใใใใใ*ใใใใใใใใใใใใใใใใใใ.ใใใใ.ใใใใ.ใใใโ ใใใใใใใใใใใ.ใใใใใใใใใใหใใใใใใใใ๏พใใใใใ.ใ.โ ใใโ โโ โโ โโ โโ โโ โโ โโ โโ โโ โโ ,ใใใ*ใใโ .ใใใใใ.ใใใใใใใใใใโ โฆใหใใใใใใใใใใใใใใ.โ ใใใใใใใใใใ.ใใใใใใใใ.ใใใใใโฆโ ใโโโใใใ,ใใโโโโใใใใใใใใ.โ โ โ โ โ โ .ใใใใใใใใใใโ โ โ โฆ โ โ ใใใใใใใใใใใใใใโ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ .ใใใใใใใใใใ. โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โฆโ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ .ใใใใใใใใใใใใใ.ใใใ๏พ .ใใใใใใใใใใใใใ. ใใย
ย
Itโs strange.
Thereโs no other way to put it. Youโre unconscious, and you know it. Which, in itself, is already strange enough to make you wonder if youโre going insane. Itโs like being trapped in a dream youโre not dreaming, but that you feel. A limbo. A non-place. Everything around you is a deep black, like someone spilled ink over the world and then let it dry. And yet the groundโif you can even call it thatโreflects your face with absurd clarity, like a perfectly still lake made of dark glass. You see your own eyes staring back at you, more tired than they should be, sadder than youโd like to admit.
You didnโt move for a long while. Why bother? There seems to be no rush here, no time, no direction. You sat downโor maybe collapsedโyouโre not sure anymore, and took the chance to cry. Not dramatically or in loud sobs, you just let the tears fall. After all, no one can see you. You're alone here, and as painful as that sounds, at least it gives you the privacy to break a little.
Youโre scared.
You remember far too clearly everything thatโs happened since you woke up in this absurd place, with snakes that arenโt, demons with double tails, and gazes that seem to pierce right through you. Where are you? When will you be able to go home? Will you be able to go back?
Sure, yeah... youโve wished to escape your life plenty of times. The usual stuff. โI want to disappear,โ โI wish I could just get away,โ those things you say without thinking too much. But this wasnโt what you had in mind. This is different. This is real. And now that you have it... you donโt want it anymore. You wish you could scream it at someone, anyone. You want your boring normal backโyour unbearable classes, your half-broken bed, your ignored texts and the 7 a.m. alarm clock. All of it.
You take a deep breath. You donโt want another anxiety attack. Your head already feels like it has a drum pounding inside. You wipe your cheeks with the sleeve of your school uniform, wrinkling your nose at how wet and cold they are, trying to pull yourself together, at least a little.
And then, without warning, you feel it.
Something moves.
Your pupils shrink in an instant as a lightโa kind of tiny star, like the ones in cartoons but shining for realโemerges from your chest. As if it had always been there, hidden between your ribs. It spins around you a couple of times, as if making sure youโll follow, and then floats off, heading toward some undefined point in the void. And you, for some reason you canโt explain, get up and follow it.
You walk aimlessly. Literally. There are no paths, no sky, no real ground. Just that black space and your reflection trembling beneath your feet. The whole place is a floating paradox. But you follow the star because itโs the only thing that makes sense so far.
And as you move forward, the environment begins to change.
Silhouettes start to appear. People. Or rather, not people. Some have wings that flap in a wind you canโt feel. Others have horns, tails, strange and grotesque shapes. At this point, nothing surprises you. You just watch them with a mix of curiosity and resignation. Theyโre blurry, like poorly focused shadows, but you can hear distant voices. Laughter, whispers, incomplete phrases. Some of them sound familiar. Too familiar.
No... this isnโt a lucid dream. It doesnโt feel like one. Thereโs something too sharp, too real. As if the dream is dreaming you.
Suddenly, the star stops. It spins once more in the air and circles a figure among all the others. This one isnโt a blurry silhouette. No. You see it clearly, as if someone had lit it with a special spotlight. Itโs female in shape. You approach instinctively, wanting to call out, but something suddenly stops you.
An invisible barrier. Like a glass wall.
You hit it without expecting to and recoil, pressing your palm to it. Itโs cold. Smooth. Real. Canโt you get closer? Not even touch her?
But then, the figure slowly turns her headโฆ and looks straight at you.
Your lungs freeze.
Her eyes are red, glowing like burning coals, but theyโre not scary... or at least not as scary as they should be. Her hair is light orange, tied in a long side ponytail that sways in a soft breeze. She wears a large ruby-red ribbon that contrasts with her fair skin. Her messy bangs give her the look of an ordinary girlโsomeone you might see at a high school. For a second, you almost believe sheโs human.
Until you see her claws.
Huge, sharp, red claws. Almost as long as her own arms. You swallow hard.
You want to speak, but she beats you to it.
โHi!โ she says with an unexpectedly warm smile. โItโs been a long time since Iโve seen anyone... especially a human.โ
It takes you a couple of seconds to process her tone. Itโs cheerful, almost casual. Like she just bumped into you at the supermarket, not in the middle of an interdimensional limbo.
โWhere are we?โฆโ you ask in a low voice, so worn out you barely recognize yourself. Your tone is like a crumpled napkin, crushed under too many emotions.
The girl blinks, a bit confused.
โHuh? Ohโฆ this is your doing. You created this place.โ
You frown at her, then look around, blinking hard.
โWhat? No... No, thatโs impossible. I canโt even draw hands.โ
The girl laughsโa short sound, but not mocking. More like she finds you endearing.
โMy nameโs Rieta, by the way,โ she adds, as if this were a completely normal conversation.
You notice the sudden shift in topic. It doesnโt explain much, but for some reasonโฆ it comforts you. You canโt help but smile a littleโjust a timid curve of your lips. Youโre still confused, of course, and the situation is surreal, but Rietaโs strange kindness helps release some of the tension youโve been carrying since this all began.
โMy nameโs Yume,โ you say at last, in a voice stronger than you expected. โBut please explain properly. I donโt understand any of this.โ
Youโre in no shape to accept vague answersโyou need something, anything, that makes sense. So far, itโs all been running, fear, passing out, waking up in new placesโฆ If this is a dream, it has terrible customer service.
Rieta nods slowly, tapping a finger to her chin like sheโs organizing her thoughts.
โLetโs seeโฆโ she begins, with that now-familiar carefree tone. โIโm not totally sure either, but I think this place is like... a connection point. Between worlds, between memories, between people. Sort of like a universal waiting roomโbut without chairs.โ
You blink, unsure whether sheโs joking. But she keeps going.
โItโs like you can see people from your dreams, like their presence leaks into here. They donโt seem to notice, of course, and you can only see the people, not their surroundings. Everything else isโฆ disconnected. A space where time, logic, and perception are on airplane mode.โ
She gestures with her claws, drawing a circle in the air.
โBut hey, thatโs just a theory. Nobody gave me a manual.โ
She takes a step closer, stopping right at the invisible barrier between you. You realize she speaks naturally, but her words carry something elseโa desire to understand, to make sense of something that probably escapes her control, too.
โThis is so weird,โ you mutter, crossing your armsโnot to look strong, just because you donโt know what else to do with them. โNothing like this has ever happened to me before.โ
She nods, understanding.
โI donโt know what situation youโre in, butโฆ sometimes, when the mindโs at its limit, when the heart breaks and you fall beyond exhaustionโฆ things can happen. Things you donโt understand, things you didnโt even know you could create. Maybe, without realizing it, you are causing this.โ
You stare at her, one eyebrow raised.
โAre you saying this is all my fault?โ you ask, half joking, half terrified.
โMmmโฆ not fault, exactly. Letโs say youโreโฆ the catalyst.โ
โThe what?โ
You were about to ask more, but before you can form the words, she cuts in, as if she already knows what youโre going to say.
โMaybe itโs because Iโm a deity, and thatโs why I can interact with you,โ she says casually, like someone saying, โIโm a Gemini.โ โOr maybe itโs for other reasons.โ
You open your mouth. Close it. Open it again. And finally, you burst out laughing. Youโre not sure whether to laugh or cry, but you go with laughter because you already hit rock bottom with crying.
โA deity? That sounds cool.โ
Rieta laughs tooโwarm, contagious. For a moment, you both forget where you are.
โYeahโฆ I guess it sounds cool. But the truth is, even as a deity, I couldnโt help or protect the most important person to me.โ
Her smile turns sad, and her eyes lower, distant. She leans her back against the invisible wall. You fall silent, a small knot forming in your stomach.
โI justโฆ I just wanted to see him smile. Thatโs all,โ she says softly.
The honesty in her words disarms you. You donโt know what to say. Thereโs a vulnerability in her you didnโt expect. Suddenly, you feel a little less alone.
โWhatโs his name?โ you ask, almost in a whisper, as if you donโt want to break the moment.
โIvlis. His name is Ivlis.โ Rieta smilesโbut not a happy smile. Itโs melancholic, tinged with nostalgia and pain.
You decide not to say anything else. You just look at her with quiet respect.
Sometimes, listening is enough.
And then, you hear it.
A distant beeping.
At first, you barely recognize it, but it gains strength. A familiar vibration that shakes your consciousness. As if someone were calling you back to the real world. To discomfort, to cold, to headaches.
Rieta hears it too. She slowly lifts her head and looks at you with a mix of sadness and understanding.
โI think itโs time for you to go,โ she says, and this time her voice is soft, almost maternal.
You nod. Something in your chest aches. Not because of the ringing, but because you donโt want to leave. Or maybe, you donโt want to leave her. She reminds you of someone. Yuri. Maybe thatโs why. Or maybe itโs because sheโs the first person in this strange place whoโs treated you with something resembling kindness.
โWill I get to see you again? โฆ Can we be friends?โ
The question comes out on its own. You didnโt even think to say it, but now that itโs out, you feel it with all your heart. You need a refuge, someone who understands. And Rietaโฆ Rieta seems to want to be that for you.
She smiles, and that smile comforts you more than any logical explanation could.
โOf course we can. Iโd be happy.โ
She pauses before adding:
โBut whether youโll see me againโฆ thatโs not up to me.โ
Just before everything fades away, you manage to lift a hand to wave goodbye. Rieta returns the gesture, bidding you farewell with sweetness. Then, everything melts into white.
You wake up with a start.
A gasp of air escapes your lungs as if you'd been underwater for too long. You're on a couch. An old one, upholstered in worn velvet. You take a moment to understand that youโre back.
In front of you, the two girls you saw before fainting are staring at you. They fall silent as soon as they notice your eyes open.
โSheesh, took her forever to wake up,โ mutters the short-haired one, arms crossed, expression somewhere between bored and annoyed.
The other girlโthe one with asymmetrical horns, black sclera eyes, and that aura that screams โI could probably tear you in half without breaking a sweatโโgets up calmly from the armchair she was sitting in. Her movements are fluid, but thereโs something animal-like about them. She leans toward you, tilting her head as if studying a rare specimen. The way she observes you, youโd swear sheโs checking for vital signsโฆ or some interesting mutation.
Meanwhile, all you can think is:
Why didnโt I stay just a little longer with Rieta...?
At least that girl smiled without looking like she could rip your soul out with one finger.
โWhatโs your name?โ she asks bluntly. Her tone isnโt aggressive, but it isnโt exactly warm either. More likeโฆ clinical. As if youโre just another field in some supernatural Excel spreadsheet.
You hesitate. You glance at the other girlโthe short-haired oneโwhoโs also watching you intently, saying nothing. Waiting for an answer. Both of them are.
โMy name is Yume,โ you murmur at last. At this point, cooperating with these two seems like the wisest choice. Youโre not sure if your life is in danger, but you donโt want to find out. You take a breath, then ask with some effort, โAnd you two?โ
โKurotsuno,โ says the horned girl, gesturing to herself. โSheโs Hanten.โ
โIโm her best friend,โ Hanten adds proudly, pointing at Kurotsuno like sheโs presenting a work of art. She says it with such enthusiasm that, for a second, you feel like you should applaud.
Kurotsuno extends a hand to you. It seems like a kind gesture at first, until she says with complete nonchalance:
โGive me your hand for a moment.โ
The way she says it doesnโt make it sound like an optional request. You blink, a bit confused.
โFor what?โ
โJust do it.โ
Okay. Not like you have many cards to play here. Still a little wary, you sit up on the couch and place your hand in hers. At first, nothing happens. Just the cold touch of her fingers on your skin. Ten seconds of awkward silence go by, and then Kurotsuno suddenly lets go of your hand with a slight jolt. She frowns, as if something didnโt quite add up in her internal calculation of โnormal things that should happen when touching a lost human.โ
She turns to Hanten with a serious expression. Hanten raises an eyebrow.
โWell?โ she asks, as if she already knows the answer.
Kurotsuno nods.
โYes. We should definitely take her to Chlomaki.โ
They exchange that silent look that only close friendsโor criminal accomplicesโshare. Youโre too tired to tell which one applies here.
Hanten gestures toward you with exaggerated annoyance.
โBut not like this. She stinks. And that school uniform is going to draw attention.โ
She doesnโt bother to sugarcoat it, and youโฆ well, you do what any decent person would: discreetly sniff your armpit.
And yeah. Maybe you donโt smell like a spring flower. But a little tact wouldnโt hurt.
โI passed out in the forest,โ you mumble, trying to defend your dignity. No one listens.
Without further ado, Kurotsuno grabs you by the arm and drags you down the hallway. Literally. Like a sack of potatoes being hauled from point A to point B. She guides you (or rather, pushes you) to a bathroomโold, but clean. She turns on the bathtub faucet decisively while you blink, still processing how fast everything is moving.
โI left some clean clothes there,โ she says, pointing to a small cabinet near the window, where a neatly folded outfit rests. Before leaving, she glances out the window, making sure no oneโs outside. Then, she turns to you.
โThese clothes should fit. I donโt use them anymore, so you can keep them.โ
As sheโs about to leave, you step forward, a bit unsure.
โIโฆ thank you.โ
Youโre surprised you said it. It just comes out naturally. She nods and closes the door behind her. She doesnโt seem meanโbut sheโs definitely intimidating. Youโre not sure if she does it on purpose or if her face just comes like that from the factory.
You sigh.
Youโre not used to bathing outside of your own home. In fact, using other peopleโs bathrooms makes you a little nervous. But the water is already warm and smells like lavender soap. You donโt think twice.
You take off your school uniformโdirty, damp, covered in leavesโand leave it in a corner like you never want to see it again. You get into the tub all at once, and a shiver runs down your spine. Not from the water, but from the overwhelming feeling of finallyโฆ being able to think. As if your mind has finally stopped running around like a headless chicken.
Rietaโs words still echo in your mind. Kurotsunoโs looks. Hantenโs. Even that blue-haired guy with the twin tails.
Demons, you think. They have to be demons. Thereโs no other explanation.
You clench your fists underwater. You canโt let this overwhelm you. If you do, if you let fear drag you under, youโll be lost. Youโll fall. And thereโs no one left to catch you this time.
You rinse off quickly and step out of the tub. You use the towel hanging nearby to dry yourself and then approach the clothes. Carefully, you begin to dress.
The blouse is white, short-sleeved, slightly puffed. It has a high ruffled collar that reminds you of old photos of Victorian governesses, but somehow it doesnโt feel ridiculous. Thereโs a row of buttons in front and small decorative pleats that make it elegant.
The black skirt has thick straps that cross over your shoulders and a corset-like section that cinches your waist with surprising precision. Seeing it on you, you barely recognize yourself.
The black boots and thigh-high socks with white trim complete the outfitโthese last two almost identical to what Kurotsuno wears. You feel strangeโฆ but also kind of good. You donโt usually wear this kind of clothes, but you do like skirts.
When you open the bathroom door, Kurotsuno and Hanten are there, like unhurried statues. Have they been waiting there the whole time?
โSorry I took so long,โ you say with a sheepish laugh, hand to your neck. โI didnโt expect you to be waiting outside.โ
It makes sense, of course. A human wandering alone in their world would be likeโฆ well, like a lit torch in a dry forest.
Hanten looks you up and down and bursts out laughing.
โWow, Kurotsuno. I didnโt know you wanted a little sister. In that outfit, she looks like you just adopted her.โ
Kurotsuno shoots her a death glare.
โShut up,โ she replies curtly, before handing you one last piece: a black cloak with a hood. Itโs not exactly fashionable, but it has a dramatic air that you donโt dislike. You put it on carefully, tying the ribbon at your neck.
โIs thisโฆ necessary?โ you ask, a bit confused.
โMore than you think,โ Hanten replies, arms crossed. โWe donโt know what the hell you did, but wordโs already spreading that a human showed up out of nowhere.โ
Your blood runs cold. You donโt ask how they know. Your mind goes straight to one figure:
The blue-haired boy with the twin tails. He mustโve said something. It had to be him. It was him. Couldnโt have been anyone else.
You grit your teeth.
๐ฌ๐ฟ๐ป๐น๐จ ๐บ๐ช๐ฌ๐ต๐ฌ
"But are you sure she's human?" Hanten asks again, arms crossed, eyebrows arched, and with that tone she always uses when she wants someone to tell her she's right.
The question hangs in the air like an annoying fly. Kurotsuno doesnโt answer right away. Sheโs leaning against the wall, staring at the bathroom door as if she could see through it. Steam seeps out from underneath, and the dripping faucet is the only sound breaking the tense silence.
"Do you have a better idea then?" she finally replies, with that calm of hers that always sounds like a barely-contained threat. Her gaze shifts to Hanten, who just shrugs, then back to the door.
"Because I donโt. And if sheโs not humanโฆ well, sheโs something very close. And pretty convincing."
"โConvincingโ doesnโt seem like a reliable unit of measurement for identifying species, Kurotsuno," Hanten snaps back, frowning as she fidgets with the edge of her jacket.
"She could be a shapeshifter. Or an illusion. OrโI donโt know..."
Kurotsuno stares at her, unblinking.
"Sometimes Iโm not sure if youโre joking or if you should talk to someone," she says dryly.
"A bit of both," Hanten replies with a quick smirk. But her expression shifts just as quickly to something more seriousโmore than usual. One of those rare times she lets it show that sheโs genuinely concerned.
"Soโฆ what Anten said. Itโs true?"
Silence again. Longer this time. Heavier.
Kurotsuno pushes off the wall with a sigh, as if what sheโs about to say is harder to accept than to speak.
"Yes. I noticed it when I touched her hand," she confesses, lowering her voice slightlyโnot out of secrecy, but out of respect, as if the words needed to be softened so they wouldnโt break something delicate.
"Thereโs something in her touchโฆ a faint vibration, a strange pull. Too soothing."
Hanten presses her lips together, not making a joke this time.
"And while she was unconscious?"
"Same thing. I donโt know how to explain it. It wasnโt a heartbeat, or anything like thatโฆ it was something else. Quieter. Like a second pulse, hidden away. Like something sealed inside. Itโs not normal. But itโs not hostile either. At least, not for now."
"Great," Hanten mutters, and this time her sarcasm sounds more like a shield than an actual joke.
"I love it when the stuff we find comes with a built-in 'for now' in the threat level."
"Sheโs not a threat," Kurotsuno insists firmly, turning fully toward her friend. Her dark, serious eyes no longer carry that usual sharp gleam. Now, they hold something else. Worry, maybe. Or doubt.
"But sheโs not normal either," Hanten finishes.
Both fall silent. On the other side of the door, the sound of running water stops. The whisper of steam thickens for a moment, wrapping the scene like an invisible fog.
"I donโt know what she is," Kurotsuno admits, like someone pulling a thorn from their pride.
"But I donโt think sheโs here by accident."
Hanten doesnโt answer right away. She keeps her eyes on the door, as if expecting that humanโYumeโto step out at any moment, fully transformed into some creature with multiple eyes and a shadow-tongue.
But nothing happens.
๐ช๐ถ๐ต๐ป๐ฌ๐ต๐ป ๐พ๐จ๐น๐ต๐ฐ๐ต๐ฎ : This story contains sensitive and potentially disturbing topics. Please be advised that the harmful actions portrayed by the characters are not meant to be romanticized, excused, or normalized in any way. These actions are fictional and should not be replicated or justified in real life. Sorry for any grammatical mistakes or if something is not understood, English is not my first language!
๐ฆนย THANK YOU FOR READING! Donโt forget to leave your thoughts! Comments help keep me motivated to write. โฐ(*ยฐโฝยฐ*)โฏ
Chapter 5: โฆ . โฏ4 โ ยฟNow? Indivisible โน โ แต
Chapter Text
ใ คใ คใ คใ คใ คใ คใ คใ คใ คใ คใ คใ คใ คใ คใ คใ คใ คใ คใ คใ คใ คใ คใ คใ คใ ค๐๐๐ฃ๐!
หโโง๊ฐโI had to write this chapter much faster than usual, and even then it still took me a long time to publish it. I'm sorry if there are things that don't make senseโor any mistakes! ใโฝใ (Edit: There are no extra scenes because I made this episode at the last minute and I forgot.)โ๊ฑ โ .โง
.ใใใใใใใใใใโ โ โ โฆ โ โ ใใใใใใใใใใใใใใโ โ โ โ โ * โ โ โ .ใใใใใใใใใใ. โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โฆโ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ .ใใใใใใใใใใใใใ.ใใใ๏พ .ใใใใใใใใใใใใใ. ใใใใใใใใใใใใใใใโฆ ใใใใใ,ใใใใใใใ.โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ ใใใใใใ*ใใใใใใใใใใใ.ใใใใใใใใใใใใใ. ใใโฆโ ใโโโใใใ,ใใใใใใใใใ*ใใใใใโ ใใใใโ ใใ,โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ .ใใใใใโใใโ ใใใโ .ใใใหใใใโ ใโ โโใใ,ใใใใใใ.ใใใใโI don't know what I wantโ
โbut I know it's not thisโ
โThese words don't mean nothing once they've left my lipsโใใใใใใใ.ใใใใใใ*โ ใใโ โโใใใใใโ โฆโ ใใใใใใใ*ใใใใใใใใใใใใใใใใใใ.ใใใใ.ใใใใ.ใใใโ ใใใใใใใใใใใ.ใใใใใใใใใใหใใใใใใใใ๏พใใใใใ.ใ.โ ใใโ โโ โโ โโ โโ โโ โโ โโ โโ โโ โโ ,ใใใ*ใใโ .ใใใใใ.ใใใใใใใใใใโ โฆใหใใใใใใใใใใใใใใ.โ ใใใใใใใใใใ.ใใใใใใใใ.ใใใใใโฆโ ใโโโใใใ,ใใโโโโใใใใใใใใ.โ โ โ โ โ โ .ใใใใใใใใใใโ โ โ โฆ โ โ ใใใใใใใใใใใใใใโ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ .ใใใใใใใใใใ. โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โฆโ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ .ใใใใใใใใใใใใใ.ใใใ๏พ .ใใใใใใใใใใใใใ. ใใย
ย
You were pretty freaked out when you crossed the borders of the Crow Forest and stepped into what looked like the beginning of Castle Town. The place seemed decentโalmost peacefulโbut the moment you set foot on its cobbled streets, your stomach turned. The architecture was irregular, something... interesting, so grim it felt like it had been designed specifically to crush the soul of anyone who entered. As if the forest had only been an appetizer, and the real main course of fear was waiting right there, among the alleyways and shuttered windows. From where you walked, you could see the castle in the distance, looming like a bad omen. Not that you were planning to face any final boss (yet), but that thing dominated the skyline like a death sentence.
On an impulse you didnโt even have time to rationalize, you reached out and grabbed Kurotsunoโs arm, like a childโs reflex. It wasnโt exactly comforting, to be honestโthe girl had all the warmth of a rusty knifeโbut at least she was familiar. What you wouldnโt do, no matter how nervous you were, was get too close to Hanten, who was walking on the other side. Her mere presence made you as tense as having to explain your math grades to your parents.
And then you noticed another detail: Anten, in his snake form, had somehow latched onto your shoulder without you realizing it. Since when had he been there? When had he climbed on you like you were a conveniently located tree? You could feel the light weight of his serpentine body, cold and damp in some places, and honestly... he still grossed you out a little. It was like having a living sausage glued to your collarbone.
And as if that werenโt enough, you also had to deal with the feeling that Hanten kept glancing at you from the corner of her eye. Maybe because of Anten. Or your clothes. Or just the fact that you were a human crashing into their world like it was no big deal. Whatever the reason, you felt that stare piercing into you like a needle.
โHey,โ you blurted suddenly, trying to lighten the mood with some casual conversation that wouldn't end in you being disintegrated by a glare, โare you and Anten related or something? You look way too much alike. Even your names sound like copy-paste.โ
You glanced sideways at the snake, who simply let out a dry โNha.โ A sound that barely qualified as effort, like someone shaking their head while yawning.
You huffed, half resigned. โAlright, alright. Mystery unsolved then.โ You werenโt going to push it, mostly because you didnโt want her biting your neck. Instead, you focused on holding onto the hood of your cloak, which kept slipping back from the breeze weaving through the streets. You couldnโt let it fall nowโnot with so many demons, vampires, and bizarre creatures walking around like they were at a shopping mall. You already stood out enough just by being... you.
Trying to distract yourself from the creeping panic biting at your ankles, you decided to keep talking to Anten, who, surprisingly, was easier to talk toโprobably because he was the first one you met.
โYou're demons, right? Thatโs kinda cool.โ You forced a smile, more for yourself than for him. At first, sure, the word โdemonโ had triggered some existential dread. But nowโฆ well, youโd survived the forest, the shock, and waking up in someone elseโs bathtub in borrowed clothes, so you were adapting.
โWant a round of applause?โ Anten replied, his tone dry as a stale cookie.
You couldnโt help but smile. โDoubt you can in that form.โ You covered your mouth to keep from laughing out loud. The mental image of a snake trying to clap with its tail was absurdly funny. You werenโt even sure if you were genuinely amused or just starting to lose your mind.
You were so caught up in that ridiculous image that you nearly walked into the girls when they suddenly stopped in front of a dark door, decorated with inscriptions you clearly didnโt want to understand. You peeked between their shoulders, curiosity mixed with anxiety, only to see someone who froze you in place.
A girl stood there, dressed entirely in black. Her skin was so pale it almost glowed. She had a feline look: a long black tail that moved like it had a mind of its own, cat ears peeking out from under a huge witch hat tailored for those very ears, and sleek black hair that reached the floor, tied with a ribbon that looked like it came from a box of faded gift wrap. Her eyes were pitch black, except for narrow white pupils like blades. She was... intensely strange. Like a mix between a witch, a cat, and a goth drama queen.
โWell, well,โ she said in a sing-song voice, โwhat a surprise to see you two! Though I doubt this is a friendly visit.โ
โYeah, you wish,โ Hanten shot back with a mocking smile. โWe came for this.โ She jerked a thumb toward you like you were a sack of potatoes.
You gave a weak wave, uncomfortable. If it were up to you, youโd be miles away from here.
โIโm sure youโve heard the rumor about a human showing up out of nowhere three days ago,โ Kurotsuno began.
You turned to her in surprise. โThree days?โ Had you been unconscious for two whole days? That encounter with Rietaโฆ had it really been that long? You suddenly felt a little dizzy.
โOh yes,โ the witch replied, raising an eyebrow as she looked at you. โThat rumorโs spreading like the plague.โ
Without asking, she grabbed your arm with surprising force and shoved you inside the house. The other two followed as if this were all perfectly normal. You, not so much.
โHave you noticed it?โ Kurotsuno asked as the witch made you sit in a chair.
โYes, I noticed,โ the witch murmured, her tone now serious. You, tired, fed up, and feeling more like an object than a person, lost your patience.
โOkay,โ you said loudly. โAre you gonna tell me what the hell youโve noticed, or do I have to guess through telepathy?โ
Chlomaki was the first to answer.
โWhen I touch your skin... something weird happens,โ she said, narrowing her eyes. โItโs like something inside you activates. A feeling of peace, yes, but also a sharp sting. Like remembering something terrible for a second... and then nothing. Just calm. Like a scar that suddenly stops hurting.โ
You looked at them all: the gothic witch with cat ears, Kurotsuno with her harsh expression, Hanten who looked ready to throw a knife at any moment, and Anten, your new living scarf.
โWhat?โ you asked, a mix of confusion, fear, and something bordering on hysterical laughter. This was starting to feel like a comedy show. You put your hand over your face.
โThis didnโt happen in my world,โ you muttered, letting out a sigh like someone whoโs hit their limit and is one step away from jumping out the windowโif there were any windows.
The room stayed silent for a moment, filled with that awkward tension when no one knows if whatโs happening is a joke or a developing curse. The air felt heavierโor maybe you were just forgetting to breathe properly.
โSo it only affects non-humans. Could be, right?โ Hanten said in her usual expressionless tone. She looked at the other two girls, as if waiting for one of them to disagree or back her up. She didnโt look at you, and you didnโt try to get her attention. You wouldnโt even know what expression to put onโfear? Annoyance?
Before anyone else could speak, you felt a weight slip off your shoulder. Anten slid down like a scarf deciding it wanted independence, hitting the floor with a wet, unpleasant sound before transforming back into his usual demon form. You blinked at the change, still not used to how he did that without breaking bones. Then again... does he even have bones?
โIt only happens with direct skin contact,โ he reported calmly, brushing himself off like he still had dust on him. โWhen you touch clothes, nothing happens.โ
You raised an eyebrow at him. โYou must be the genius of your family, huh?โ You couldnโt help the jab, smirking as you crossed your arms. Not that you had anything against him... well, maybe a bit. But the urge to tease was stronger.
Antenโs scowl appeared so fast it was almost scary, and suddenly he grabbed you by the collar of your white shirt, gripping tightlyโnot enough to hurt, but just enough to make you feel that tingle of danger.
โSay that again if you want to,โ he growled, fangs slightly visible. His breath smelled like a mix of incense and damp earth. Not horrible, but not something you wanted that close.
With that mix of bravery and death wish that had followed you since arriving here, you simply raised your middle finger in his face.
He didnโt get to do anything, because Kurotsunoโs voice cut through the moment like a sharp knife.
โYouโre like little kids. We donโt have time for this,โ she snapped, crossing her arms with the cold authority of a teacher fed up with her students. Her tone left no room for argument. Anten finally let go of you with an annoyed huff, and you adjusted your clothes.
You looked over at the cat-witch, who was watching you all like this was cheap entertainment. โYouโre Chlomaki, right? Iโm Yume,โ you said, pointing at yourself with your thumb and forcing a smile. Introducing yourself now, right after nearly getting strangled, might not be the most logical thingโbut you had no idea what was expected of you in this world anymore.
Chlomaki looked delighted by the attention. Her cat ears twitched slightly, and she grinned ear to ear as if youโd just accidentally complimented her.
โYume, huh... pretty name,โ she said, making a pair of elegant-looking gloves appear out of nowhereโclearly intended for you. โWould you be interested in being my assistant? Itโs odd, but I feel like thereโs magic inside you. Iโd love to have a human helper. Youโd be my little adorable experiment.โ
She held the gloves out like they were an irresistible offer, the fabric shimmering lightly in her fingers. You didnโt take them. You werenโt planning on staying here long anyway.
You instinctively stepped back, shaking your head so fast you nearly gave yourself whiplash. โNo, no. Thanks, but no. I just want to go home. Although...โ you tilted your head slightly, โ...Iโd like you to tell me how to do that.โ
Chlomakiโs face shifted subtly. Her smile stayed, but her eyes narrowed. โItโs complicated,โ she began, snapping her fingers to make the gloves vanish. โThere are MANY human worlds. Not just one. Itโs not like thereโs a simple โgo backโ button. Have you noticed any anomaly, any strange power, something that doesnโt quite belong to you? That might help.โ
You bit your lip, thinking. You looked at the others, who now stared at you with an interest you didnโt like one bit. Like you were a strange stone about to crack open.
โYeah... maybe,โ you admitted finally.
You decided to tell them about the dream.
[ . . . ]
After telling everything โfrom the dream, without mentioning Rieta, to that stupid glowing star that seemed to have more purpose in this hellish journey than you did yourselfโ Chlomakiโs brilliant, splendid, and absolutely questionable idea was none other thanโฆ to make you fall asleep again.
โVisualize your world while dreaming,โ she said, with that excited tone mad scientists get right before doing something morally ambiguous. โThat way, weโll reach it more easily.โ
Oh, of course. Because sleeping in the middle of a room full of demons, a witch, and people looking at you like you're a ticking bombโฆ is super easy.
You shifted in place, clearly uncomfortable. โItโs not that easy to fall asleep when I have four people staring at me, you know?โ
Chlomaki, with that infuriating little smile of hers, suddenly appeared right beside you. โCome on! Just smell this potion and youโll drop off. Plop, like a rock. You wonโt even notice.โ
She held it right under your nose like you were a kid refusing to take her medicine. You looked at it suspiciously, frowning. It smelled like flowers, something sweetโฆ but also like the back of a forgotten shelf, and that did not give you a good feeling.
โSorry, but Iโm not falling asleep by inhaling a potion made by a cat-witch I just met.โ
โIโm so done with you, human,โ Hanten growled, her face a mix of exasperation and the desire to shoot herself in the head.
And before you could step back or defend yourself, she grabbed your head with undeniable force and, without the slightest hesitation, forced you to inhale the potion.
Your first thought was: how unhygienic.
The second: THIS THING SMELLS LIKE WET WOOD!
Thenโฆ darkness.
[ . . . ]
When you opened your eyes, you knew immediately where you were.
That black floor, gleaming like still water. That skyless sky. That nothingness pressing down on your shoulders.
You were back.
Back in that strange place where youโd first seen Rieta. You felt it instantly, a chill crawling down your spine. The place had that terrifying dรฉjร vu quality, like returning to a dream you thought youโd escaped.
And just like before, that tiny star emerged from your chest, floating with a weak but steady glow. It said nothing, did nothing but drift forward slowly, guiding you once again.
You followed it.
Hoping for another revelation. Another symbol. A clue, at least.
But the star didnโt lead you to anything you expected.
It led you to a bag.
Old. Dirty. The same one youโd left with Yuri before you disappearedโonly now more worn, more frayed.
โWhat? What is this supposed to be?โ you muttered, crouching down. You reached out to touch it, but just as your fingers brushed the fabricโฆ puff. It vanished.
You froze. Blinked. You didnโt understand. It made no sense. Was it just a memory?
โYou do know what it means,โ said a voice, as if it had read your thoughts.
You snapped your head up. And there she was.
You.
But different.
She stood right in front of you. She had your face, your body, your voiceโฆ but her eyes burned with a certainty you had never seen in the mirror. A fierce determination. A more vivid life. As if sheโd grown up in another worldโone where you werenโt weighed down by fear, by doubt, by guilt.
โWhatโฆ? Howโฆ?โ Your voice trembled. The ground felt like it shifted beneath you. Your lips parted, but no words came out.
โThereโs nothing left,โ said your other self. โNo Yuri. No Grandma. No Mom. Nothing. Itโs all been erased.โ
And something inside you shattered.
You felt your chest cave in. The tears came without warning, fast and messy. Once they started, there was no stopping them.
โWhy are you crying, Yume? Why does it hurt? Because thereโs nothing left? But now you donโt have to worry about disappointing them. Or who hates you. Or who you failed.โ
Something in you snapped.
You lunged at her with a strangled cry of rage, your hands around her throat. You both crashed to the ground, you on top. Your tears fell onto her face, but she didnโt fight back. She just looked at you. Calm.
โWho are you?! Was it you?!โ you screamed hoarsely, squeezing tightly, not knowing if it was hate or desperation fueling you.
โItโs not like that,โ she said, not resisting. โI didnโt do anything. Iโm Yume. Iโm you.โ
โYouโre not me.โ
โOf course I am. Iโve lived here since we were born. Though I guess Iโm not real, am I?โ
Your grip loosened.
You collapsed to the side, onto the floor. You broke down crying like a lost child. Hands in your hair, tugging slightly, desperate. The sobs werenโt pretty or elegant. They were ugly, snot-filled, shaking, hollow.
She knelt beside you. Her hands touched your cheeks with a strange softness. They were cold. Cold like marble. Like no blood flowed beneath them.
โIโm sorry,โ you sobbed. You didnโt even know why. But you said it.
She didnโt reply.
She just looked at you. As if watching you cry was something newโsomething almost miraculous.
Through your hiccups, you raised your hand.
She did the same.
Your fingers nearly touched. Like a mirror.
You couldโve been one.
She couldโve been everything you never became.
And youโฆ could become what she never had the chance to be.
โLetโs become one,โ you whispered.
And she smiled. For the first time.
Not with joyโbut with peace.
โNo matter how many versions exist, there's only one true Yume.โ
โWhat was once divided, now becomes indivisible.โ
[ . . . ]
Your eyes flew open.
No transition, no warning.
It was like falling from a great height and landing flat on your backโin your own body.
Air rushed into your lungs as if you hadnโt breathed in years, and you sat up with a jolt, throat dry, eyes wide, heart pounding like it wanted out of your chest.
You were back.
You blinked several times, disoriented. The ground was no longer black and liquid. There was light, albeit dim. Color, though faded. You were back in that place, strange, unfamiliar.
Only Kurotsuno and Chlomaki remained at your side now.
Both watched you.
Chlomaki with her usual half-mysterious, half-nosy smile.
Kurotsuno, arms crossed, a slight frown on her face like sheโd been waiting too long for something to happen.
Your only response was to place a hand on your chest.
Something had changed. You knew it. You felt it.
Your breathing wasnโt the same. Your skin wasnโt the same. Even your shadow, if you looked at it sidewaysโseemed to have a different texture. Denser. Moreโฆ whole.
As if something new had awakened in you.
Or maybeโฆ something that had always been there had finally stirred.
Before Chlomaki could start bombarding you with questions, you knew she was about to unleash an entire list of uncomfortable onesโyou raised your other hand to your face.
You couldnโt speak. Not yet. You knew that if you did, your voice would crack, and the tears would spill again.
So insteadโฆ you just breathed.
And said:
โGive me those damn gloves.โ
With that, you accepted being her assistantโ
And, in your own broken way, you gave an answer to what had happened.
You couldnโt go home.
You reached out your other hand, and managed a pained smile.
A part of you
The new part of you
Felt a determination youโd never known before.
๐ช๐ถ๐ต๐ป๐ฌ๐ต๐ป ๐พ๐จ๐น๐ต๐ฐ๐ต๐ฎ : This story contains sensitive and potentially disturbing topics. Please be advised that the harmful actions portrayed by the characters are not meant to be romanticized, excused, or normalized in any way. These actions are fictional and should not be replicated or justified in real life. Sorry for any grammatical mistakes or if something is not understood, English is not my first language!
๐ฆนย THANK YOU FOR READING! Donโt forget to leave your thoughts! Comments help keep me motivated to write. โฐ(*ยฐโฝยฐ*)โฏ
Chapter 6: ึด โฆ . โฏ5 ยฝโ "Why couldn't I... โน โ แต
Chapter Text
ใ คใ คใ คใ ค ใ คใ คใ คใ คใ ค ใ คใ คใ คใ คใ ค ใ คใ คใ คใ คใ ค ใ คใ คใ คใ คใ ค ใ คใ คใ คใ คใ ค ใ คใ ค๐๐๐ฃ๐!
หโโง๊ฐโI'm back!! This part is divided into two, with this first one being lighter and less intense, because the second part is when things start to get dark and heavy. The second part will be released on Friday, August 1st at 6 PM (European time) And finally, Iโve made a detailed character sheet for Yume, so now I have a better guide for her. And yes, you can already start to see some romantic stuff hereโafter all, itโs a fanfic. I had a few doubts about whether Iโm doing the fanfic right, since I focus a lot on the lore and on giving Yume a proper story. A few days ago, I finally stopped talking to bots and tried looking for an Okegom fanfic (Spoiler: I didnโt find any new ones). I ended up reading an Ivlis x Reader from 2016, and I absolutely lost it laughing, because Y/N is just suddenly kidnapped and chained up out of nowhere with no context, and then Ivlis shows up and says, โIโve decidedโyouโll be my wife.โ And Y/N literally says, โOkayโ :D
(I spent half an hour laughing. Iโm seriously about to do a ritual or some witchcraft just to be able to read a damn Okegom fanfic. Iโm losing my mind.) And by the way, yes, the title is split โ this chapter shows only one part. The other part will appear in the next chapter.โ๊ฑ โ .โง
.ใใใใใใใใใใโ โ โ โฆ โ โ ใใใใใใใใใใใใใใโ โ โ โ โ * โ โ โ .ใใใใใใใใใใ. โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โฆโ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ .ใใใใใใใใใใใใใ.ใใใ๏พ .ใใใใใใใใใใใใใ. ใใใใใใใใใใใใใใใโฆ ใใใใใ,ใใใใใใใ.โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ ใใใใใใ*ใใใใใใใใใใใ.ใใใใใใใใใใใใใ. ใใโฆโ ใโโโใใใ,ใใใใใใใใใ*ใใใใใโ ใใใใโ ใใ,โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ .ใใใใใโใใโ ใใใโ .ใใใหใใใโ ใโ โโใใ,ใใใ.ใใโ I'm right across the dance floorโ
โLike it was just last nightโ
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย โI didn't even get it whyโใใ.ใใใใใใ*โ ใใโ โโใใใใใโ โฆโ ใใใใใใใ*ใใใ ใใใ.ใใใใใใ.ใใโWhy you gotta say goodbye?โใใใใใใใใใใใใใ.ใใใใ.ใใใใ.ใใใโ ใใใใใใใใใใใ.ใใใใใใใใใใหใใใใใใใใ๏พใใใใใ.ใ.โ ใใโ โโ โโ โโ โโ โโ โโ โโ โโ โโ โโ ,ใใใ*ใใโ .ใใใใใ.ใใใใใใใใใใโ โฆใหใใใใใใใใใใใใใใ.โ ใใใใใใใใใใ.ใใใใใใใใ.ใใใใใโฆโ ใโโโใใใ,ใใโโโโใใใใใใใใ.โ โ โ โ โ โ .ใใใใใใใใใใโ โ โ โฆ โ โ ใใใใใใใใโ .ใใใใใใใโ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ .ใใใใใใใใใใ. โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โฆโ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ .ใใใใใใใใใใใใใ.ใใใ๏พ .ใใใใใใใใใใใใใ. ใใย
It had already been over a month since you arrived in Ne-No-Kuni โthat place you still werenโt sure whether to call a kingdom, a dimension, or simplyโฆ the place you ended up by accident. Although, by now, calling it an โaccidentโ was starting to feel like an understatement. Like it was too simple to describe everything youโd been through. Everything youโd seen. Everything youโd lost.
Especially since that moment. Since you met her. That version of yourself โ stranger, clearer, more broken and more whole all at once. And since, somehow, she had become a part of you.
Yes, you were changing. For the better. Or at least, thatโs what you tried telling yourself every morning when you woke up alone in a room that still didnโt feel like yours, knowing you had nothing left.
Now, you feltโฆ more energized. More awake. More alive. More optimistic, even. Which was basically a miracle, coming from you. But that didnโt mean old habits vanished overnight. Your cowardice was still there, as stubborn as ever, whispering in your ear not to make waves. Not to speak up. Not to take too many risks. Your tendency to avoid real life was still as strong as your new desire not to give up.
One version of you fighting against the other. But at least you werenโt alone anymore.
Since becoming Chlomakiโs official assistant โand also her familiarsโ your routine had becomeโฆ strange, but consistent. Most days started in the large, dark Kurotsuno mansion, where you slept in a room far too big and quiet for your taste. You often wondered if it bothered her having you there, but she hadnโt kicked you out yet, so you assumed you didnโt annoy her enough to be worth the trouble.
Almost every morning, Anten would accompany you out, guiding you through the forest in his snake form. Curled around your shoulder like you were a walking coat rack. He didnโt talk much, but his presence was oddly calming. Cold, yes โliterally and figurativelyโ but steady. Like a reminder that not everything in this place was a carnival. Wellโฆ it was a carnival, really, but at least Anten was somewhatโฆ tolerable. Mostly talk, little action.
Your job as an assistant essentially boiled down to making Chlomakiโs life easier. Or at least less chaotic. Cleaning up messes, gathering ingredients, tidying rooms that suspiciously smelled like sulfur, running errandsโฆ and taking out trash.
A lot of trash.
Which brings us to today.
You, on the floor, surrounded by dusty boxes full of books, dried-up quills, empty jars, and objects you couldnโt even identify. All the things Chlomaki once thought might be โusefulโ and now just took up space. Things that, while hopefully not cursed, definitely smelled like they were.
And next to you, your friend โwho somehow you instantly clicked withโ your accidental confidante, and probably the only normal person youโd met in this world: Lobco.
Well, โnormalโ was relative. She was a lobster-shrimp hybrid, with red hair and a long red shrimp tail poking out from under her skirt. But still, out of all the creatures in Ne-No-Kuni, she was the sanest. And for some reason, youโd become inseparable. If Chlomaki sent Lobco to do something, you went with her. It wasnโt official. It justโฆ started happening. And now, if one of you showed up without the other, people asked questions.
โGod,โ you mutter, coughing after a cloud of dust rises as you pull out another useless book. โDo all witches have this hoarding impulse, or is it just our witch?โ
โI hope notโฆโ Lobco replies, her voice low and dull like sheโs very tired of living this exact reality. She kneels in front of another box, lifting some kind of eyeball in a jar with both hands. โThis has been here for years. Iโm pretty sure itโs watching usโฆโ She shudders slightly at the creepy object.
โDonโt look it in the eye,โ you say dramatically, turning your head with mock horror. Both of you laugh, though Lobco lets out a small sneeze from the dust, which triggers an inevitable cough from you. You quickly step away, shaking off your black gloves.
The dust is everywhere. You can even feel it between your teeth. You cough a little more before dropping back onto the floor with a defeated thud.
โYu?โ Lobco asks, using the nickname she gave you โ the first time anyone had ever given you one. She tilts her head slightly. Her voice is a little worried, but also curious. โDo you still have to wear those gloves all the time?โ
You glance at your hands, black to the wrists thanks to the gloves. Instinctively, you make a motion to take them offโฆ then stop. With a sigh, you begin adjusting them clumsily without looking โalmost like a reflex.
โYeah. We still donโt know why it happens,โ you say with a shrug. โChlomakiโs run like twenty tests. From uhโฆ some magic thing to some other magic thing โI donโt know magic. But nothing. Every time I touch someone without the glovesโฆ the same thing happens. So yeah, Iโm keeping them. Iโm used to them now. Theyโre like a second skin. A cheap, ugly skin that doesnโt match with anything, but still.โ
Lobco nods slowly. Then she stares at you and asks, completely serious:
โHave you tried other colors?โ
You blink.
โโฆWhat?โ
โI donโt know. Maybe black just absorbs all the bad vibes. What if you got pink gloves? Theyโd be cuter.โ
โOh, sure. And if I smack someone with a flip-flop, maybe thatโll align their chakras too.โ
You both laugh, and for a moment, the heavy work and discomfort are forgotten.
The silence that follows is a comfortable one. Almost domestic. Lobco goes back to digging through the junk. You watch her, and for an instant, the thought hits you harder than expected:
You feel good here.
Not happy. Not completely. Butโฆ alive. Present. With a small sense of purpose. Something you used to feel only in fleeting moments back in your world. Like you were watching life from behind glass.
Maybe thereโs no going back. Maybe everything you saw in that black place was real.
But maybe โjust maybeโ you didnโt need to return to keep moving forward.
With Lobco, with Chlomaki, with all their weird little creaturesโฆ even with your gloves.
And that, to you, was its own kind of miracle.
Even if you feel bad โyou never thought leaving your home, which is possibly now destroyed, would hit you like this. But thanks to this routine, you donโt have much time to dwell on it or to be alone with your thoughts.
You pause when you reach the bottom of one of the boxes, like something โa sixth sense, a twist in your chest, or just a suspiciously literary hunchโ warns you that whatโs peeking out isnโt like the rest.
There, buried among books with chewed-up spines, torn maps, and items that probably belong in a museum (or a bonfire), is a different kind of volume.
Itโs not especially bright or magical at first glance. But thereโs somethingโฆ disturbingly familiar.
You reach in carefully, pushing aside a few old feathers and a skull-shaped mug (seriously, who stores that in a box of books?), and with a touch, you confirm what you already suspected: the cover is made of real leather. A material that seems rarer here than a staircase without tentacles. The book is white, with golden detailing that still shines a bit. Like someone, somewhere in time, wanted it to survive intact.
But itโs not the color or the craftsmanship that makes your fingers tremble slightly.
Itโs the symbol.
On the cover, precisely embroidered, is a figure you could never forget. A four-pointed star, its top and bottom points piercing through two crescent moons. One larger, curved upward; the other smaller, curved downward. The kind of symbol that burns itself into your retina. And in your caseโฆ into your memory.
You feel a shiver crawl up your spine like an icy current that didnโt ask for permission to enter.
โโฆIs something wrong?โ asks Lobco, who had been organizing another box beside you, but now watches with her head slightly tilted and an expression of mild concern. Her tone holds that usual gentle, restrained air, as if sheโs always walking carefully across a hanging bridge.
You open your mouth to reply, but no words come out. You just breathe in a little deeper, like the air has suddenly become harder to take in.
Finally, you look at her. Not directly in the eyesโthat feels too intimate for this moment. But just enough for her to know youโre not joking.
โItโs justโฆ this book belonged to my grandmother,โ you murmur.
Your voice sounds younger as you say it. As if just remembering brings you back to being that eight-year-old girl, curled up on the couch while the rain tapped on the windows and your grandmother sipped overly sweet tea. Your eyes lose focus for a moment, pulled back to the past like someone flicked on an old projector inside your head.
You were eight. Your mom worked long hours, so you spent entire afternoons with your grandmother. She would make you fresh orange juice, let you fall asleep in her lap while she knitted. And on her bookshelf, there was always that book. White, closed, dusty, lonely. A relic with no story.
She had that book. It always sat on the highest shelfโout of reach, but never out of sight. And you would always ask, โWhatโs that book for, grandma?โ
And she, always with that warm and tired smile, would shake her head.
โNot even I know, sweetheart. But itโs been there so long, I feel bad throwing it away.โ
She didnโt open it. She didnโt read it. She didnโt touch it. She just let it be.
And now, here it was.
In a place that shouldnโt even exist.
โIs thatโฆ possible?โ Lobco asks quietly, clearly as stunned as you. Though sheโs not human and doesnโt come from your world, the confusion on her face is universal.
โI donโt know,โ you admit, more to yourself than to her.
Almost as if pushed by an invisible spring, your handsโthe ones always covered by those black gloves that are now practically part of your identityโmove on their own. You open the book. Lobco leans in with you, curious, trying to see whatโs inside.
The first page isโฆ alive.
Not literally. It doesnโt move or breathe. But thereโs something strange. The handwritten letters vibrate slightly, as if they refuse to stay still. The paper is aged: yellowed, rough, its edges chewed by time. But thereโs writing.
A lot of writing.
โWhat theโฆ? Thereโs handwritten stuff in here! My grandmaโs copy was empty,โ you exclaim, eyes wide. You flip through the pages quickly, almost frantic, like youโre afraid theyโll vanish again. Every page is full. Full of symbols, words, strange drawings. Runes. Diagrams. Fragments of something thatโs only just starting to make sense.
โYuโฆ I donโt see anything,โ says Lobco suddenly.
You freeze.
โWhat?โ
She looks at the book again, confused. โI see blank pagesโฆโ
You look at her, then the book, then back at her. You stammer something unintelligible. Your heart skips in a weird way. Is it you? The book? Some illusion?
Then a small gasp makes you snap your head around.
Lobco has fallen backwardโnot hurt, but clearly startled.
โYumeโฆ yourโฆ your hands!โ
You stare at her, confusedโand then you see it.
Or more accurately, you feel it first. A burning tingle rising through your arms.
You tear off your gloves without thinking, like someone ripping off a bandage before checking the wound.
And what you see takes your breath away.
In the center of each palm, a four-pointed star glows with intense, white light. From there, wavy lines flow along your arms like veins of liquid lightโorganic, pulsingโas if something inside you has finally awakened. The branches spread and twist beneath your skin, glowing.
The light is so bright it reflects in your eyes. You see yourself mirrored in the page, with those white sparks trapped in your pupils like two tiny suns.
The book reacts too.
The once-blurred words clarify. The letters rearrange themselves, the symbols begin to translate. Everything makes senseโor starts to. You see names. Instructions. Whole paragraphs speaking of things you donโt understand. The vertigo hits.
You gasp. Your hands shake. The book slips from your fingers with a dull thud.
You scramble backward across the floor like youโve just touched fire. You shut the book with a kick. The marks vanish. All thatโs left is the trembling.
You look at your hands. Theyโre bare. Human again. But they still burn, as if they remember being something else.
And then, you feel warmth.
Lobco kneels beside you, without hesitation, and takes your bare hands into hers. Her fingers are colder than yours, like seawater. But the gesture is warm. Comforting. Humanโor as human as someone like her can be.
โโฆOkay, thatโs not normal,โ you mutter, voice caught between nerves, relief, and resignation.
โAre you okay?โ Lobco asks, still holding your hands. Her eyes are sincere. Sheโs not afraid of you. Or of what you just showed.
You look at her carefully. Ever since you arrived, your touch has affected non-humans in strange ways. Some calm down. Others remember forgotten things. Some even fall asleep. But Lobco doesnโt seem to mindโฆ
She smilesโjust barely.
โYeahโฆ donโt worry. I donโt fall asleep when I touch you,โ she says with a soft, sad smile. โIt actually makes me happy. Because I remember things. Things about my home. My familyโฆโ
You swallow hard. Sheโs told you before. Her home, in the sea. Her family. The music of the waves. The colors that shift with the currents. You canโt help it. You hug her tight. A clumsy, warm, spontaneous hug. The kind that comes straight from your chest without asking permission.
โOh, Lobco, I love you so much,โ you whisper against her neck, cheek pressed to hers. She makes a soft, barely audible sound and flails her arms awkwardly.
โI love you too, but let go!โ she stammers, clearly overwhelmed by the intensity of your hug.
โNever!โ you laugh, hugging her even tighter.
And for a moment, the strangeness stops being scary. Because even if youโre lost in an impossible world, surrounded by magic and books that know you better than you know themโฆ
Youโre not alone.
You have Lobco.
Right now, sheโs the one person you love the most. The one who makes you feel like youโre not going crazy. Who brings you back to that familiar feeling of having a normal friend.
[. . .]
ย
Some time passed. Not much, but enough for your head to spin like an emotional washing machine. Eventually, with a sigh that was meant to sound resigned and not just nervous, you decided to put the book away. Reluctantly. Very carefully. Not because you were scared of it, of course not. Just... as a precaution. Just in case. Because, well, glowing hands, strange symbols, the tremor in your chestโthose things donโt usually scream โeverythingโs fine.โ
Though honestly, if it were up to you, the book would already be burning happily in a bonfire.
โBetter look at it laterโฆ when I feel less like screaming at the sky,โ you muttered as you closed the box with a little more force than necessary.
Lobco had left for a moment when someone knocked at the door. Her soft steps made barely any noise, but you didnโt need to see her to imagine how she likely shrank a little before opening it. She was Lobco, after all. What you did hear clearly was the door slamming open without any kind of delicacy, and a familiar voice walking in unapologetically, without pause, as if the world belonged to him and everyone else was just a minor inconvenience.
โWhat are you doing here now?โ
You crossed your arms the moment Anten stepped across the threshold like he owned the place. He walked with the confidence of someone whoโd never asked permission for anything in his life. And the worst part was, that was probably true.
Lobco stumbled to the side, shoved out of the way without a second thought. Her small body ended up pressed against the wall like accidental decoration. The poor girl didnโt even dare protest.
You glared at him. He looked at you like youโd just kicked his ego. The two of you looked absolutely allergic to tolerating each other.
โIโm not here for fun,โ he grunted, shoving a hand in his suit pocket with that lazy-yet-alert air he seemed to have perfected. โThey sent me to get you. Thereโs another human in Ne-No-Kuni. Same uniform as you had when you got here. Might be from your world.โ
The surprise hit you like a bucket of ice water. You looked at him, then at Lobco, still backed up against the wall and visibly uncomfortable, her eyes flicking between you two with that mix of fear (because demon) and curiosity that only she could make look adorable.
โWhat? Another human? Here?โ An electric jolt ran through your body, and suddenly you felt light, like your feet barely touched the ground. โDamn it, you shouldโve started with that! Letโs go!โ
You grinned with so much excitement it was like someone had turned on all the lights inside you. The idea of having someone else from your world hereโsomeone who could understand you without long explanations or weird comparisonsโfelt like a glass of cold water in the middle of a desert. What if they were your age? What if they were someone you could just... talk to, laugh with, share memories of a world that was starting to feel increasingly distant?
You rushed forward eagerlyโbut just as you took a step, you felt a tug at your shirt. You stumbled, taking a couple of clumsy steps back to avoid falling flat on your face. When you turned, you saw Anten gripping the back of your shirt with one of his pitch-black hands.
โHuh?โ
The pull had been firm enough to make you lose balance slightly. You turned with a raised brow, finding his inky-black hand clutching your clothes like you were some unruly puppy.
โNot so fast,โ he said with that smug smirk that screamed annoying you is my favorite hobby. โI was told to come with you. You canโt go alone.โ
Oh, of course. Because clearly you needed a babysitter with a bad attitude and zero qualifications for caring about anyone elseโs safety.
You scowled. You raised your fist near your face in warning, but you didnโt stop there. With a burst of agility even you didnโt know you had, you grabbed one of the old books off the nearest shelf, lifted it as high as your arms could stretchโbecause demons apparently all come with the โunnecessarily tallโ geneโand WHAM! You slammed the cover right into his face.
The sound was glorious.
โWell, then Iโd rather go alone.โ
Anten stood still for a second. The book remained perfectly balanced on his face, like an improvised mask. You stared at him. Then burst into laughter. The kind that starts in your chest and rises up your throat, uncontrollable and honest. You laughed so hard your stomach started to ache and your eyes teared up.
Lobco, meanwhile, looked caught between the urge to intervene and the desire to vanish. Her eyes darted from you to Anten as if she were waiting for one of you to explodeโand she wasnโt sure which one would go off first.
โDamn human,โ Anten growled, voice low and annoyed, pulling the book off his face with an expression that mightโve been scary if you werenโt too busy laughing like a child in an amusement park.
His red eyes gleamed with irritation, but also something that wasnโt just angerโฆ maybe disbelief. Or resignation. Or both.
Suddenly, he grabbed your wrist. His handโblack-skinned with white nailsโclamped down firmly. Not enough to hurt, but enough that you felt it. You staggered slightly forward, one leg stepping ahead to keep your balance. And thenโproximity.
Way too much proximity.
Anten stood right in front of you, mere inches away. His ember-red eyes locked onto yours, like he was trying to dismantle you with just a look. But you were already immune. You gave him one last giggle, then, as a finishing touch, winked and stuck your tongue out, a teasing smile curving your lips.
He blinked.
That little gestureโso unapologetically youโseemed to rattle him more than it should have. His gaze droppedโquickly but clearlyโfrom your eyes, to your nose, to your lips. As if heโd suddenly realized how close you were, his breath caught. You just laughed. Part of his mind whispered: It would be so easyโฆ
He let go of your wrist slowly. Not with a jerk. Like his hand didnโt want to let go. Like that small connection had been more than he intended.
โLetโs go. And put your gloves on,โ he muttered, turning his back too quickly. As if that might undo the moment, clearly trying to hide something he didnโt even fully understand himself.
You blinked. Looked down. Oh, right. Your gloves. Youโd taken them off after what happened with Lobco.
โOops! Right!โ you laughed awkwardly as you pulled them on. Then turned to your friend, still frozen in place.
She still looked uncomfortable. Sometimes she flinched when Anten was around, like his shadow was heavier than his presence.
โComing with me, Lobco?โ
She immediately shook her head, hands flailing like the very idea scared her.
โN-noโฆ Iโll stay toโฆ to finish cleaning. Andโฆ Iโll tell Chlomaki what happened,โ she said softly, offering you a timid but genuine smile.
You nodded and smiled back, giving her a small waveโa playful wiggle of your fingers.
โTell her I didnโt break anything. Yet.โ
Then you followed after Anten, who was already opening the door. You noticed how he avoided looking directly at you. If you didnโt know better, youโd say he was... nervous?
You pulled up your cloakโs hood before stepping out, the hallway wind blowing like it was announcing a new storyโone you didnโt yet know whether would be good or dangerous.
โSoโฆ whatโs the other humanโs name?โ
Anten didnโt look back when he answered.
โKurumi.โ
And suddenly, without knowing why, your steps grew heavier.
That nameโฆ You already knew it.
ย
๐ฌ๐ฟ๐ป๐น๐จ ๐บ๐ช๐ฌ๐ต๐ฌ
ย
Kurotsuno carefully placed her camera on the bar, as if it were far too important an object to be treated with anything less than reverence. The soft click of metal against wood was barely audible over the quiet murmur that filled the room. She sat with the feline calm that always defined her, her coat falling heavily over the stool, cloaking her like a discreet shadow. Her eyes swept over the room with a neutral expression that barely hinted at something deeper.
Maekami, the barโs owner, and a demon with white hair as meticulous as the polished decor of his establishmentโwelcomed her without a word at first. With the ease of routine, he placed a glass of her usual drink in front of her. He only broke the silence a few seconds later, when he noticed a subtle shift in Kurotsunoโs posture, barely perceptible tension in her shoulders, a slower exhale than usual. He raised an eyebrow, genuine curiosity in his gaze.
"Miss Kurotsuno... is something troubling you?" he asked in a measured voice, as though not wanting to disturb her thoughts. He knew reading that girl was like trying to decipher a stone carved by time: hard, cryptic, and nearly immovable.
Kurotsuno turned her head slightly, her pupils catching the dim barlight like those of a nocturnal predator. Her voice was a calculated whisper, restrained yet no less serious for it.
"I was thinking about something Hanten told me recentlyโฆ Apparently, she was quite surprised to see Anten soโฆ attached to a certain someone." She didnโt name the person. Not out of carelessness, but caution. In a barโeven one as discreet as thisโwalls could have ears, and trust was a currency too expensive to spend lightly. But Maekami caught the omission immediately. His expression didnโt change, but his hand paused for a beat in its motion.
"You mean the human?" he asked quietly. "At this point, that โrumorโ is already on everyoneโs lips."
Kurotsuno gave the slightest of nods, her fingers wrapped around the glass without drinking from it. She stared into the liquid as if expecting it to offer her an answer.
"Iโm trying to keep it just that... a rumor. But... The scent of a human around here stands out far too much. Itโs not like there are many left.
Maekami resumed his work with mechanical ease, though he was clearly listening closely. When he spoke again, his voice had dropped into a deeper, more serious register.
"So far, that girl has flown under the radar without any real trouble. No one is actively hunting her. And youโve done a fine job keeping her invisible. Better than most could, all things considered."
Kurotsuno lowered her gaze for a moment. His words were reassuring, yesโbut not enough to silence the weight that was slowly growing inside her like a storm on the horizon.
"I have a feelingโฆ that wonโt last much longer" she murmured.
๐ช๐ถ๐ต๐ป๐ฌ๐ต๐ป ๐พ๐จ๐น๐ต๐ฐ๐ต๐ฎ : This story contains sensitive and potentially disturbing topics. Please be advised that the harmful actions portrayed by the characters are not meant to be romanticized, excused, or normalized in any way. These actions are fictional and should not be replicated or justified in real life. Sorry for any grammatical mistakes or if something is not understood, English is not my first language!
๐ฆนย THANK YOU FOR READING! Donโt forget to leave your thoughts! Comments help keep me motivated to write. โฐ(*ยฐโฝยฐ*)โฏ
Chapter 7: ึด โฆ . โฏ6 ยฒโโโ....do anything for her? โน โ แต
Chapter Text
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ๐๐๐ฃ๐!
หโโง๊ฐโ I almost cried while writing it. Even while writing the first part, I realized that no human in Okegom, whether it's Yonaka, Kurumi, If, or Shrimp, human characters who are in a world outside the human one, is happy or comes out unscathed. There isn't a single human who ends up well. It's the three in the morning. I'm uploading this at this hour on Friday because in the afternoon I'll finally touch grass after spending the whole summer in my room.โ๊ฑ โ .โง
.ใใใใใใใใใใโ โ โ โฆ โ โ ใใใใใใใใใใใใใใโ โ โ โ โ * โ โ โ .ใใใใใใใใใใ. โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โฆโ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ .ใใใใใใใใใใใใใ.ใใใ๏พ .ใใใใใใใใใใใใใ. ใใใใใใใใใใใใใใใโฆ ใใใใใ,ใใใใใใใ.โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ ใใใใใใ*ใใใใใใใใใใใ.ใใใใใใใใใใใใใ. ใใโฆโ ใโโโใใใ,ใใใใใใใใใ*ใใใใใโ ใใใใโ ใใ,โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ .ใใใใใโใใโ ใใใโ .ใใใหโ โโใใ,ใใใ.โ Shooting stars never fly for meโ
โMy heart's on Mars, kinda hard to seeโ
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย โBut you know, you know I'll see you againโใใ.ใใใใใใ*โ ใใโ โโใใใใใโ โฆโ ใใใใใใใ*ใใใ ใใใ.ใใใใใใ.ใใใใย ย โYou know, you know I'll see you againโใใใใใใใใใใใใใ.ใใใใ.ใใใใ.ใใใโ ใใใใใใใใใใใ.ใใใใใใใใใใหใใใใใใใใ๏พใใใใใ.ใ.โ ใใโ โโ โโ โโ โโ โโ โโ โโ โโ โโ โโ ,ใใใ*ใใโ .ใใใใใ.ใใใใใใใใใใโ โฆใหใใใใใใใใใใใใใใ.โ ใใใใใใใใใใ.ใใใใใใใใ.ใใใใใโฆโ ใโโโใใใ,ใใโโโโใใใใใใใใ.โ โ โ โ โ โ .ใใใใใใใใใใโ โ โ โฆ โ โ ใใใใใใใใโ .ใใใใใใใโ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ .ใใใใใใใใใใ. โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โฆโ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ โ .ใใใใใใใใใใใใใ.ใใใ๏พ .ใใใใใใใใใใใใใ. ใใย
ย
You had a thousand questions buzzing around in your head like bees trapped in a box. Questions for Kurumi, the other human. The one who, like you, had fallen into this twisted world called Ne-no-Kuni. It was the first time in a month that youโd be able to talk to someone from your own realityโsomeone who shared memories with you without needing everything explained from scratch. And yet, something about all of this kept you from feeling fully excited.
Because, from the little youโd managed to squeeze out of Anten, you knew Kurumi had been living as a vampireโs pet. Yes, pet. With a collar and everything. His name was Sirius. You could barely say his name without frowning. In Ne-no-Kuni, it seemed completely normal to treat conscious humansโpeople with emotions, memories, and free willโlike purebred dogs. It made you sick. And angry. And afraid. Because no matter how much you hated that logicโฆ you knew you were too powerless to fight it.
You werenโt a hero. You didnโt even know how to defend yourself. You were just Yume.
The walk to Siriusโs mansion was long, muddy, and cold. The rain hadnโt stopped in days; every step felt like stomping on a rotting sponge. Your boots were soaked, your fingers freezing, and even Antenโwalking silently beside youโdidnโt make the slightest complaint about the weather. Which was... unusually mature of him. Maybe he knew this visit wasnโt just a social call. Maybeโthough heโd never admit itโhe understood that something inside you was getting ready to break.
To your surprise, when you finally reached the house, Anten didnโt cause any unnecessary drama. No fights, no threats, no snide insults exchanged with random demons. He just stood by the door, arms crossed, keeping watch. It wasnโt exactly chivalrous, but given his track record, it was almost touching.
โYouโve got twenty minutes,โ he said before you walked in. โNot a second more. Thatโs all that bloodsucker agreed to.โ And even though his tone was dry, he didnโt sound angry with you. More like... resigned.
You nodded without a word.
The door opened without needing to knock. The mansion was silent, suffocating, too elegant for someone like you. You felt like a muddy stain walking into a museum. But it didnโt take long to spot her.
There was Kurumi, sitting on a blood-red sofaโthe same girl youโd seen weeks ago on a โmissingโ poster at the station, alongside Yuri. The image superimposed itself in your mind: that blurry photo of her smiling softly in her school uniform, with life in her eyes. And now...
Now, there was only a ghost.
The same uniform, yes. But now with a red leather collar around her neck, with a small metal tag that probably had her name engraved on it, like a luxury pet. And her expressionโฆ you couldnโt look at it for too long without feeling your soul shrink.
Her eyesโpink, dark, lifelessโwere fixed on you. There was no fear, no joy. Just a resignation that seemed to have moved in permanently.
You sat next to her, a little awkward, painfully aware that the sofa probably cost more than your entire house. Your voice came out forced, nervous.
โHiโฆ Iโm Yume.โ
She interrupted you quickly, without ceremony.
โI know. We went to the same school. I saw you a few times in the hallways.โ
You looked at her, surprised. You scratched your cheek awkwardly, trying to remember if youโd ever noticed her.
โOhโฆ really? I guess I was probably too sleep-deprived back then to notice anything that wasnโt a direct pop quiz threat.โ
Kurumi didnโt smile, but something in her eyes seemed to soften for a moment. You gathered your courage.
โSoโฆ how did you end up here? Howโฆ did you get to this world?โ
She looked down for a moment, then answered with a chilling calm:
โIt was Sirius. He brought me.โ
She said it like she was talking about a school trip. Like sheโd hopped on a train and woken up in another world.
โYou meanโฆ the one who kidnapped you,โ you corrected with a tense half-smile, even though it wasnโt funny. You let out an awkward laugh, then shook your head. You had to tell her. Whether she already knew or not, she deserved to.
โKurumiโฆ our world. The human one. Itโs gone. Everything went to hell. We mightโฆ we might be the only ones left.โ
She simply looked down, her hands clenched on her knees. She nodded. No drama. No tears. That surprised you, since even you could barely say it without choking up.
โI see,โ she said softly.
Her voice dropped an octave.
โThoughโฆ I didnโt really see myself going back anyway. Itโs already impossible. For me. For you. With or without our world.โ
You looked at her, confused. She stood slowly and walked toward the window. Outside, the rain hit the glass with a persistence that felt personal. Kurumi placed one hand against the windowpane and stared at the gray sky.
โThis worldโฆ the vampires, the demons, everything that walks hereโฆ it drags you down. If you get too close, you sink. Humans here arenโt people. Even if we try. We end up as captives. As tools. And no matter what you doโฆ in the end, you always lose.โ
You said nothing. You didnโt know what to say to that. The worst part wasโฆ a part of you understood her. You understood the weight in her voice. You understood the exhaustion in her posture.
โThatโs prettyโฆ dramatic,โ you tried to joke, looking away to avoid the lump in your throat.
Kurumi turned to you, and her pink eyes pierced through you like needles.
โYou think so?โ
You didnโt know what to say. You swallowed hard.
โButโฆ why donโt you try to escape?โ you finally asked. โI canโt imagine being aโฆ pet is something you actually want.โ
She let out a dry laugh. Not even a laugh, reallyโjust a sarcastic exhale, barely a sound.
โItโs not that easy to escape them. Not Siriusโฆ not any of them. You think you can run, but they always catch you.โ
The conversation fell into a heavy silence. You looked at her shoulders, her posture, the way her pink twin-tails fell down her back. She wasnโt broken. But she wasโฆ fractured. In many pieces.
And the worst part was that you couldnโt do anything. You had no way to save her. And you knew she didnโt expect you to.
Before the twenty promised minutes had even passed, you already wanted to leave that house. You didnโt even wait for Anten. You walked out into the rain, letting it soak you like divine punishment. You stepped into puddles without looking, lips pressed tight, heart tighter.
Anten caught up with you a few seconds later.
โBrat,โ he muttered, clearly annoyed. โCanโt wait five minutes without making a scene?โ
You didnโt respond. You leaned against the nearest lamppost, one hand on the cold metal, and finally, your body gave in. Dry heaving. Like your very soul was trying to escape. You felt nauseous, disgusted, sad, furiousโall of it tangled into an impossible knot.
Anten looked at you. He said something else, but you didnโt hear it.
โGo aheadโฆโ you murmured, not looking at him, your voice cracked under the weight of what youโd just seen.
He stood still for a moment, then sighed. He didnโt say anything else. He leftโtrusting you, maybe hopefully, maybe just tiredโbelieving that after a month here, youโd be able to find your way back on your own.
[ . . . ]
After a while, you managed to calm downโฆ or at least, thatโs what you made yourself believe. You took a few deep breaths, wiped your damp hands over your face, and tilted your head back, letting the icy rain wash away what little was left of your thoughts. You didnโt know exactly how long it had been since you spoke with Kurumi. Half an hour, maybe? An hour? Ne-No-Kuni was always a dark place, but now it was clearly night. The sky looked duller, heavier. The puddles on the ground reflected muted tones, and the streetlamps had turned on with that warm glow that barely scraped through the dense darkness of the streets.
You needed something to anchor you. Something warm. Someone. And thinking of Lobco was enough to draw a small smile on your tired lips. Just seeing her would be enough. Hearing her voice. Letting her fill, even briefly, the hole that had formed in your chest.
So you went to look for her, humming softly to yourself, swinging your arms as if trying to shake off the heaviness. Forcing a joy that didnโt feel entirely real, but at least helped you move forward.
"Sheโs probably still cleaning," you murmured, lifting your spirits a little.
You walked with your arms swinging, even pretending some enthusiasmโthough not entirely. Just enough to fool yourself a bit.
Until you heard a scream.
You froze.
At first, you didnโt think much of it. Lobco had a ridiculous fear tolerance. A moth, a shadow, the sound of a vase fallingโany of those could pull a small yelp from her. It was part of her charm. But something about that soundโฆ wasnโt the same. It was drier. Sharper. It had an edge that froze your blood. A knot formed in your stomach as you approached the alley the sound had come from.
You peeked your head around the corner slowlyโand the world stopped.
There he was.
The same two-tailed demon. You recognized him instantly. Short blue hair, colorless pale skin, empty red eyes like dead fire. A sickening dรฉjร vu hit you: the same demon who had chased you and Anten when you first fell into Ne-No-Kuni. But this time it was different. He wasnโt chasing anyone.
He had her pinned against a wall.
Lobco. Your Lobco. Your dear, skittish Lobco.
You didnโt quite understand what you were seeing until your brain forced comprehension. His hunched body over hers. His hand where it shouldnโt beโฆ his hand was under her skirt. The trembling of your friendโs body. The muffled sound of her voice. She was crying. Begging. Calling for her father. Her broken voice repeating his name between wet sobs.
You couldnโt move.
Your chest tightened violently. Your heartbeat pounded like war drums in your skull. As if your heart were too big for your ribcage. You swallowed hard, trying to force yourself to act. But your hands were frozen. Then your legs. Your whole body began to disobey. It felt like gravity itself had doubled. Cold sweat, like a winter puddle, slid down your back.
You wanted to scream. But you couldnโt. Your throat wouldnโt respond. Your voice was trapped somewhere inside. It was like your body had separated from you. Like you were a puppet without strings, abandoned in a scene you didnโt understand how you had entered.
Your breathing turned erratic.
You could barely inhale without choking on the air. You clutched your chest, trying to slow your frantic heart. But that only made it worse. Your fingers twitched. The world around you shrank to a single sound: your own despair. Everything elseโthe rain, the distant murmur of voices, even the demonโs footsteps dragging Lobco awayโfaded into a distant hum. Like a bad dream you couldnโt wake from.
And then, you vomited.
Your body finally collapsed. You leaned against the wall, nearly falling to your knees. A deep pain shot through your stomach as you expelled the little youโd eaten that day. Your throat burned. Tears fell before you even noticed. But that wasnโt the worst part.
The worst came after.
You buried your hands in your hair, clutching tightly. You pulled at your bangs, the strands that hung beside your face. You shook yourself, as if physical pain could erase what you had just seen. But you couldnโt erase it. You couldnโt forget it. The image was nailed into your mind with rusted hooks. You wanted to smash your head against the wall.
โWhyโฆ?โ you whispered with a trembling voice, more to yourself than anyone else.
โWhy couldnโt Iโฆ? Why didnโt I do anything?โ
You repeated those words, over and over, curled up into yourself like a broken record.
โWhy?โ
โWhy?โ
โWhy?โ
โWhy?โ
The retching came again, drier this time, but just as painful. You felt empty. Disgusting. A coward. Youโd always been one, hadnโt you? That girl who ran from her problems, who hid behind nervous smiles and dumb jokes. Who avoided talking about pain. Who pretended she was okay with everything.
A coward who had left her friend alone.
โLobcoโฆโ
โLobcoโฆ Lobcoโฆ Iโm sorryโฆ Iโm sorryโฆ Iโm sorryโฆโ you whispered her name. It was almost a prayer. As if saying it could bring her back. As if she could appear again with her big eyes and tired face, telling you everything was okay. That it was just a nightmare.
But it wasnโt a nightmare. Your whole body hurt. Like someone had carved your chest open with a rusty knife. Like everything you were had been drained through a black hole in your chest.
With trembling legs, you stood up, using the walls for support, then the trees. As if the whole world were an impossible slope. You walked back toward Kurotsunoโs mansion. You didnโt know how your feet were still moving. Your whole body was dead weight. You felt empty. Hollow. Like a broken doll walking on inertia. Less than human.
And thenโฆ the sky changed.
As you walked, your eyes glued to the ground, shooting stars began to streak across the sky behind youโfor the first time in Ne-No-Kuni. It had never happened before. Then, the rain, constant for days, simply stopped. No transition. It just ceased. But you didnโt look up. You kept walking, soaked, filthy, destroyed, eyes swollen, body on the verge of collapseโfeeling like a traitor.
Tiny fragments of light crossed the sky. One, then another, then dozens. Hundreds. As if the heavens had decided to cry with youโbut in the form of falling stars. The starry sky was part of you. Everyone in Ne-No-Kuni looked up. Even the cruelest demons, even the ten archdemons. And the devil himself, who had once again been drowning in his sorrow, confined to his bed in the castle, lifted his head in surprise, his violet eyes gazing up to see shooting stars for the first time.
๐ฌ๐ฟ๐ป๐น๐จ ๐บ๐ช๐ฌ๐ต๐ฌ
๐๐ช๐๐ผ ๐๐ฎ๐ฏ๐ธ๐ป๐ฎ
Lobco dragged her feet across the old, dusty room, her mood so low she could almost hear it dragging along behind her.
Once again, Chlomaki had been relentlessly teasing her with those weird jokes that only she seemed to find funny. To Lobco, they werenโt amusing. They were like little jabs that added up, reminding her just how out of place she sometimes felt.
She often thought of her home, of the salty sea where she was born, of the calm waves that once lulled her to sleep. Sometimes, she just wanted to go back. But thereโฆ who would be waiting for her? No one would miss her. No one would even notice she was gone.
The sudden sound of something falling broke the dusty silence of her thoughts.
Lobco jumped, gasping with her heart in her throat. Her fingers tightened around the broomstick, halting her mechanical sweeping. Her gaze immediately shifted to Yume, her new companion and friend, an oddly cheerful human who had burst into her routine like a ray of sunshine on a gray afternoon.
Yume was rubbing her head, wearing an expression somewhere between pain and mockery.
โI nearly cracked my head open with this boxโฆ amazing,โ she said, and laughed like it was nothing.
Lobco watched her, puzzled and a little awestruck.
She didnโt understand how Yume could laugh at everythingโeven hitting her head. That lightness was something utterly foreign to her. Yume, on the other hand, seemed to find sparks in the ordinary, even in discomfort.
The human crouched to rummage through the contents of the fallen box, eventually pulling out a pen with a strange designโperhaps magical, or maybe just ridiculous. She smiled with that peculiar gleam in her eyes and walked over to Lobco, who had timidly resumed sweeping.
โUhโฆ what are you doing?โ Lobco asked nervously as Yume gently took her by the arm.
Without another word, the human guided her to sit on the freshly swept floor. Lobco sat down without much resistance, confused but curious. Yume focused on her hand as if it were a blank canvas and began to draw on her hybrid skin with the eccentric pen.
The ink was cold at first, but Yumeโs touch was warm.
Lobco watched her silently, brows slightly furrowed.
She didnโt know what was happening, but she didnโt mind. There was something comforting in that shared stillness.
โLook! Itโs you!โ Yume suddenly exclaimed, lifting Lobcoโs hand so she could see.
In her palm was a smiling shrimpโridiculously happy, with huge, shiny eyes.
It looked nothing like her, but for some reason, Lobco let out a soft laughโone of those that slips out without permission. Her heart felt strangely light, as if that simple silliness had awakened something long asleep inside her.
As if, for a moment, she could remember what it felt like to be accompanied.
Yumeโs smile widened when she saw Lobco laugh.
โYou know what? We should buy matching bracelets or keychains!โ she suggested with genuine excitement, as if it were the most thrilling idea in the world.
Lobco looked at her, eyes wide in surprise.
No one had ever wanted to have something matching with her. That simple suggestion was so unexpected, so absurd and sweet, that something lit up in her chest.
She felt a nostalgic warmthโthe same one that used to accompany her childhood dreams of becoming a great witch someday.
โYes! Iโd love that,โ she replied with an energy she hadnโt felt since she was ten. โNext time, letโs go together and buy something. Something cuteโfor both of us.โ
In her mind, as she kept smiling, a quiet thought formedโone she didnโt dare speak aloud:
"Mom, Dadโฆ I think Iโve finally found a real friend. I canโt wait for you to meet her."
๐ช๐ถ๐ต๐ป๐ฌ๐ต๐ป ๐พ๐จ๐น๐ต๐ฐ๐ต๐ฎ : This story contains sensitive and potentially disturbing topics. Please be advised that the harmful actions portrayed by the characters are not meant to be romanticized, excused, or normalized in any way. These actions are fictional and should not be replicated or justified in real life. Sorry for any grammatical mistakes or if something is not understood, English is not my first language!
Stuffy_cutz on Chapter 1 Sun 29 Dec 2024 12:31PM UTC
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777Kvitka on Chapter 1 Sat 11 Jan 2025 09:43PM UTC
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sighazu on Chapter 1 Thu 23 Jan 2025 07:20AM UTC
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sighazu on Chapter 1 Thu 23 Jan 2025 07:20AM UTC
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Adude (Guest) on Chapter 4 Sun 08 Jun 2025 11:08PM UTC
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CoreCore_BunBun on Chapter 4 Wed 11 Jun 2025 01:06AM UTC
Last Edited Wed 11 Jun 2025 01:06AM UTC
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Einarwrites on Chapter 4 Wed 09 Jul 2025 01:37PM UTC
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FujiOtome on Chapter 7 Fri 01 Aug 2025 02:28AM UTC
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Lavenderpearlss on Chapter 7 Fri 29 Aug 2025 09:54PM UTC
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CoreCore_BunBun on Chapter 7 Sat 30 Aug 2025 07:22PM UTC
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