Chapter 100

Nikami POV

"Especially Raijin. Because I know Haiki, she just needs a little breather. You really made her mad, and I don't think she really does want to hurt you, so she's going away. She doesn't hate you, she just doesn't want to be lied to anymore. She doesn't want to chase the sun knowing it wouldn't get her anywhere. And all you have to assure her, that you really do love her. That you'll certainly want to marry her. " Hearing those words from her mouth made me almost choke on my tears, whipping my head over at her and blinking.

"Marry...?"

"Oh, don't try to fight back! I've heard your inner monologue, I know how you are! Don't keep lying to yourself. I know you love her, that even the fact that she turned your back on you made you break. Seriously, each time you stare at her eyes you act like you're placing a ring on her finger." Hameru teased me, making my cheeks turn red. I shook my head, looked to my side and bit my lip. She has been in my head all these years huh…? I’ve never seen it that way but…

A image came to my head, a long haired Raijin smiling with pure joy with her fangs out and her eyes fully dilating. Wearing a white bridal gown, she turned towards me and reached out her hands. In her other hand were a red and blue flower bouquet, the accessories on her head where white lily flowe-

“Hello??? Are you okay??” Hameru snapped me out of my trance, blinking at her then stepped back and covered my face, startled and flustered. Did I just really daydream that? What happened to me?!

I paused, getting an idea for a question towards the girl. I opened my eyes while she giggled at me.

“Did you… Ever think Haiki as someone you romantically liked?” I asked in a hushed tone, lowering my hand and folding it. She went wide eyed, rubbing her arm and broke eye contact. “Th-that’s a bit… Err…” She hesitated, gulped and shook her head.

“No that’s… Well, I certainly can say that I have been thinking of my sexuality while I was in here, but I think I… Really only saw her as a best friend.” She mumbled, forcing out a laugh and grimranced. “You know, that feeling towards her is something that you only have too! Shiromoru doesn’t like her, not even a little, and I’ve always seen her as a friend… You’re clearly someone different from both of us, Nika.” She smiled slightly at me, scratching her cheek. I was taken back at her answer, I really had thought that I liked her in the past. Were all of those really platonic gestures? Now that I look at it, yes, I really only did just play with her and comforted her when she needed to be comforted, I never once looked at her the same way that I do now.

“I…”

“I told you, didn't I? You’re someone, Nika. You exist, you’re here, you’re someone unique despite your upbringing. You need to get out of there, at least convince that girl to switch.” She took my hand again, taking a step forward and glanced up at me. Gleaming like caramel under the sun, I was once again flabbergasted at her. Despite her average body and looks, eyes had been filled with passion and mercy.

“And how exactly do I do that?”

“Understand her. Try to see why she is feeling this way, why she is trying her hardest to survive, why she won’t listen to you, why she hates you, understand the things you see as problematic, and you’ll see; that like you, she’s also human.” She explained, parting both of my hands and placed it on top of my chest. The beat of my heart vibrated through my palms, wondering why she did that to me.

“I’m not good at understanding people, I can’t get in touch with my own feelings, why do you think I can do that?” I mumbled, shaking my head. Why can’t she do it herself? I’m clearly not fit.

“Just try! Nika, You’re me! I’ve seen you understand people’s emotions as much as you insist that you don’t. What about Shukona? What about Kikyou-san? Even if you didn’t understand what you did, you comforted them, you saw how they were feeling and acted accordingly! Surely it’s more a logical response than what I would do, but still that proves my point, you can do this Nika. I can’t understand Shiromoru better than you, a person who is like her, here, I’ll hold your hand all the way. Okay?” She took one of my hands and gripped it tightly. I gritted my teeth, reacting to that action.

This warmth is… Odd. It reminds me of Raijin, yet it's special in it’s own way.

Raijin’s warmth is like placing my frosted hands near a fire to cool it off, while her’s is a warm breeze in a rainy season. Both were equally kind. Both were familiar.

I stood at the front of the hologram, Hameru gesturing over it and giggled at me.

“Come on, why don’t you talk to her? I’ll be here the entire time, so don’t worry about it.”

Shiromoru POV

“Can any of you just get out?” I asked everyone, laying my arms on top of the trapped Yasachu, grumbling as I rolled my eyes.

“Nope, I already know how to get her out… So all I need is to surprise you and create a response… What about a kiss?” That witch gave me a wink, teasing me while Yasachu under me started to thrash around her chains and growled, glaring up at Shoubu.

“Don’t you dare.”

I opened my mouth to express my annoyance towards those words, yet I froze when I heard-

Does she always act this way when you’re around?

“...” I slowly shut my mouth, flinching at the sound of her voice in my head.

What are you doing here? Go away.

“What’s wrong? Cat got your tongue?”

“Shut up.” I glared at the cocky princess smiling at me, rolling my eyes to place a palm on top of Yasachu’s hands, focusing on getting rid of her voice.

I’m not going to hurt you, nor do I want the body back for now. Can you please talk to me?

“I’m guessing your predecessor had been talking to you? Tch. I told her not to get into what I want to do.” I mumbled to reply to her, gripping Yasachu’s hand tighter.

“What are you whispering to? I sure do hope you aren’t cursing me under your breath, that would just be-” Kikyou tugged on the princess shirt, whispering something to her and making the princess pause and listen to the mage behind her.

I’ll cooperate with you if you cooperate with me, Shiromoru. I want to hear you, please, talk.

“Ara ara…” The princess’s sharp smile shined, blinking over at me and waited for me to answer.

Explain to them you have to talk to me, I’m sure they’ll let you go. If you want, you can tell them to get out of the room using me as an excuse. Please, just let me talk to you.

I closed my eyes, sharply inhaling. What does she want with me? To talk to me? Does she think that’s going to solve everything? And here I thought that she was the same as me, to follow logic rather than mere emotions. But fine, I’ll humor her. It's not like she can do anything to me, I have full control over my body as I should be now.

“I’m talking with your so-called real Nikami. So leave.” I mocked them, making air quotes around the word real. Yasachu was in a daze, not knowing what we were talking about and looked up at me while raising an eyebrow. I leaned in to kiss her on the forehead to tell her that she didn’t need to worry.

“Oh? Really? And how do you think that we’re going to believe tha-” Once again being tugged at the sleeves by Kikyou and whispering something to her, The princess’s smile twitched and placed a finger on the middle of Kikyou to hush her.

“Stop interrupting me okay? Let me finish.” Shoubu giggled with a higher tone than usual, making Kikyou’s eyes tear up, choking out something and as she opened her mouth the princess continued, “Don’t cry, I’m sorry for startling you, you can explain now, okay?” Shoubu gave a light headstroke towards the shivering mage. She continued to mumble, listening closely I could understand what she was saying. “She’s telling the truth… I uhm… Th-the mist is… Going clearer, even though th-the reach seems to be the same… I-I don’t really know what that really entails bu-but I-I just think that… Her words can be trusted for now…”

“Fine, fine.” Shoubu snapped her fingers, taking the attention of the two green haired girls, “Let’s get out, Miss Fake wanted some privacy with Shiromoru-san.” Shoubu explained, walking out of the door while Kikyou smiled lightly at me as she followed.

“Wai-wait.” Shukona came back to her senses, wiping her tears with Saboten’s handkerchief and bowed, walking towards me. I took a step back, glaring as a warning yet she cupped my cheeks while I frowned.

“Nika, I’m sorry if I upset you. But I want you to understand that I did that because it was right, even if it hurts me, I will still do what is right.” Shukona explained, sniffling up silently her tears while I slapped her hands off me, glaring deeper then she finally took the hint and bowed.

Shukona… Wait, tell her that I forgive he-

“I’m sorry for bothering you, I’ll go now.” And with that, everyone that entered this room left. Leaving only me and Yasachu in the chair.

“What was that?” She asked in a sweet whisper, softening her expression at me and pushed her lips upward.

“Don’t worry, it’s nothing. Do you mind if I just sit in the corner?” I asked her, patting her from behind while I placed my chin on top of her head. “But why? Can’t you untie me please?”

Hearing her begging squeezed my heart, suffocating it in guilt while I only took a sharp inhale. “I can’t. It’s some sort of handcuff that I can’t unlock myself.” I apologized to her, sliding my fingers in the spaces of her hand.

Shiromoru.

“Stop demanding me, I’ll go. Shut up for a second.”

“Shi-shiromoru? What’s wrong?”

“Nothing, wait for a second here. There is some bug buzzing in my ear and I want to get rid of it.” I apologized to her yet again, kissing her forehead and walking in the corner of the classroom so she can’t hear me.

“Now, what do you want?”

I know that you won’t trust me, but I just want you to know I want to cooperate with you.

“That girl was talking about some power of friendship fairytale tripe wasn’t she? At least you know I won’t trust you.” I sighed, shaking my head.

I-

Ugh. I just… Yes, she was. But I believe her.

“And what good will that give exactly?” I scoffed, swatting the air around me to dismiss her thoughts. “I have what I deserve, and now that it’s mine, I’m not giving it away.”

Shiromoru. Only three people in this world believe that you are real, one is in the same spell that made me see you. The truth you speak of might as well just be a conspiracy, you have seen how they acted, they aren’t letting you be without me.

“...” I stood silent, balling my fists while the walls around me erected sharp ice spikes while I puffed out a frozen mist.

I know you hate not being in control, I do too. I know you’re doing this because like me, you want to be yourself. You want to not be corrupted by someone we aren’t. I understand.

“More with the sappy talk. If you really knew who I was, you would cut to the chase.” The low temperature around my body made me high. I could shiver, I could sweat, do all of those things without telling my body to do so.

Fine. Listen, they won’t let you be and I want to help us both.

“And how do you suppose we do that? We only have a single body, do you think you can get your consciousness transferred somewhere else? Logic can only go so far to be imagination.”

No no, I’m not an idiot. I want us to each take turns on the body, having equal time.

I immediately felt a groan on the back of my throat getting let out, leaning back on the frozen wall and rolled my eyes, wishing maybe I could see her foolish face on the back of my head. “So your choice is to treat this body like a toy and to share? I thought you could do better than that.” I spoke clearly.

And do you have any other ideas, Shiromoru? It solves both of our problems. To be inside the body and you wanting to get rid of my friends.

She snapped back, and a whisper from Hameru to tell her to calm down came.

“Since when have you ever called them your friends?” I mumbled, folding my hands while I glared at the floor. She was right, I had no other idea. Perhaps it’s because I never really liked to cooperate in the first place, especially with the girl that befell me into that void hell.

“Fine. But it seems that I have a plus two while you only have one, I just wanted to point that out before you come whining to me.” I tapped the side of my arm, staring at the trapped sun lady flashing her warm gaze at me. The sharp ice melted quickly by her warmth, softening my glare.

I want to clear up the misunderstanding between me and Raijin, then I’ll let you fight that masked girl.

“Hold on,” I argued, “Wouldn’t that make you take control of the body again? How can I know that I’ll be back after that? And about fighting that masked girl, she was the one that brought me to where I am now, I don’t bite the hand that feeds.”

Yes. And really? Haven’t you seen from my memories that she truly believes that the code should all go die so we can be left? Don’t you know her motives? She wants to save us two from the code of this world, that includes you.

Bite the hand that feeds you poison.

“That doesn’t mean I’ll let you use the body again. How can I believe you?”

You know that I always keep my promises, you know how I am too. The three of us would never lie unless for the better good, and I’m not as self centered as you are, Shiromoru. I understand you, so understand me. Trust me, please.