Nyahata Parody

This is a super-duper long story written by my friend Joseph Fox, he wrote this with his heart, I did not write this, but I took the time to put his story on this site.

       

• Chapter 1. A cute, young couple. (Nova)

It all starts somewhere

Once upon a time, there was a young girl named Akari. She lived with her wealthy family in the quaint town of Roserie. Though the town had a certain charm, it wasn't known for being the safest place. Because of that, Akari's parents were always watching over her, their worry making them stricter than she would have liked.

Akari knew they only wanted to keep her safe, but she often felt restless and confined. While other children seemed free to wander and explore, she was rarely allowed to go far on her own. The family was only staying in Roserie for a short while to enjoy a grand festival taking place there, but to Akari, even a temporary stay felt like forever.

One stormy afternoon, as dark clouds rolled across the sky and rain drummed against the rooftops of Roserie, Akari spotted a small cat outside her window. The poor thing was trembling beneath the downpour, its fur soaked through and its thin frame making it clear it hadn't eaten properly in quite some time.

Without a second thought, Akari pushed open her window and climbed out. Ignoring the rain that quickly soaked her clothes, she hurried across the muddy street toward the frightened little creature. Gently scooping the cat into her arms, she wrapped it close to her chest to shield it from the storm.

As she brushed the rain from her eyes, she realized she wasn't alone.

Standing a few steps away was a boy about her age.

The storm seemed to soften around him. Dark hair clung to his forehead, and raindrops glimmered on his coat as he stood quietly beneath the gray sky. There was something strangely comforting about him, as though he belonged to the gentle hush that follows a rainfall. His amber eyes were fixed on the cat in her arms, carrying a warmth that contrasted with the cold wind swirling around them.

For a brief moment, Akari forgot about the storm entirely.

The boy offered a small, almost shy smile.

 

"Looks like we had the same idea," he said softly.

 

Akari felt her cheeks grow warm despite the chill in the air. She tightened her hold on the cat, suddenly aware of how fast her heart was beating.

And that was the first time she met Akuma.

 

• Chapter 2: I love you. (Akuma)

I'm Akuma, and I met her on a stormy day.

Most people hated storms, but I loved them. While everyone else stayed indoors, I wandered through the rain, humming quietly to myself. It was better than listening to my parents argue at home. The storm was dangerous, sure, but it had a feeling to it—something wild and alive that ordinary rain could never match.

I'm sixteen years old. I spend most of my time practicing fencing, hoping to serve my king and protect Roseric one day. It may be a poor town, but it's my home, and I'd do anything for it. I also paint sometimes, though that's not exactly the sort of hobby a future knight is supposed to have.

Then I saw her.

A girl running through the storm to save a starving little cat.

When she looked up, I felt completely mesmerized.

Maybe it was love at first sight. Maybe I was just a fool.

Her brown hair danced in the wind, and her eyes seemed brighter than the storm around us. For a moment, everything else faded away.

I smiled and asked if she'd like to meet again the next day.

To my surprise, she nodded.

Then she hurried off with the cat in her arms, leaving me standing there in the rain.

Of course, the cat was a bigger priority than some boy she'd just met.

Still, as I watched her disappear, one thought wouldn't leave my mind.

I've lived in Roserie my whole life. I know everyone here—the good, the bad, and everyone in between.

So why was this the first time I'd ever seen her?

Nevertheless, when our eyes met, it felt like the deities above had sent an angel for me and me alone.

 

• Chapter 3: We are meant to be. (Akari)

Tonight, I snuck out of the house to meet the boy I promised to see.

I had only known Akuma for a day, but somehow, spending time with him felt so easy. He was funny, confident, and maybe a little arrogant sometimes—but strangely, that was one of the many things I liked about him.

I've only been in Roserie for a week, so I barely know the town. Thankfully, Akuma seemed to know every corner of it.

 

"Careful there, city girl," he said with a grin as he led me down a narrow street. "If you keep walking that fast, you're going to trip over one of Roserie's famous broken roads."

 

"I'm not a city girl."

 

"That's exactly what a city girl would say."

 

I rolled my eyes, but I couldn't stop smiling.

As we wandered through the town, he pointed out all his favorite places. An old bridge overlooking the river, a small park tucked between houses, and a hill that gave a beautiful view of Roserie's lights.

 

"See that?" he said proudly. "Best view in town."

 

"You sound very confident about that."

 

"That's because I'm right."

 

He really was the adventurous type.

At one point, I asked him how old he was.

 

"Sixteen," he replied.

 

My eyes widened.

 

"Wait. Me too."

 

"Huh," he said. "For some reason, I thought you were older."

 

I laughed.

Even though I enjoyed being around him, part of me felt guilty. I didn't think I'd ever come back to Roserie after the festival ended. Forevill was my home, and I'd rather stay there.

So what would be the point of falling for someone I'd probably never see again?

Still, I couldn't stop smiling.

Later, we stopped to buy ice cream.

Akuma looked at me for a moment before ordering.

 

"Coffee for her."

 

I blinked.

When the vendor handed me exactly that, I stared at him.

 

"How did you know?"

 

"I guessed."

 

"No, seriously."

 

"I guessed."

 

I narrowed my eyes.

He laughed.

 

"Okay, maybe I got lucky."

 

Not even my parents knew coffee was my favorite flavor.

Then again, I never really talked to them much.

As we continued walking, we talked about our hobbies.

 

"My favorites are painting and fencing," Akuma said.

 

"You paint too?"

 

"Why do you sound surprised?"

 

"Because you look like you'd spend all day swinging swords around."

 

"I do spend all day swinging swords around."

 

I laughed.

 

"Well, I love painting too."

 

His face brightened.

 

"Really? Then next time, you have to show me one of your paintings."

 

"Only if you show me yours."

 

"Deal."

 

Eventually, he invited me to his house.

Inside his garage, he handed me one of his practice swords.

 

"Don't worry," he said. "I promise not to destroy you too badly."

 

"That's very reassuring."

 

We fenced for a while, and although he was clearly holding back, I managed to win one round.

The moment it happened, I raised my sword triumphantly.

 

"I won!"

 

"That round doesn't count."

 

"Yes it does."

 

"I wasn't ready."

 

"You were absolutely ready."

 

"Fine," he sighed dramatically. "It counts."

 

Then he smiled.

 

"Honestly, winning one out of five on your first night is pretty impressive."

 

I don't think I've ever felt so proud.

Afterward, we sat together eating snacks while he repeatedly reminded me to keep my voice down.

 

"Quiet," he whispered. "My grandparents are asleep."

 

"You live with your grandparents?"

 

"Yeah."

 

"What about your parents?"

 

"They live in Forevill."

 

I nearly dropped my snack.

 

"Forevill?"

 

He looked at me.

 

"Yeah."

"I live in Forevill."

 

For a moment, he simply stared.

 

"You what?"

 

"I live there."

 

His eyes widened.

 

"That's impossible."

 

"What is?"

"The prettiest girl I've ever met lives in the same town as my parents?"

 

I felt my face grow warm.

Then he smiled.

 

"You know... maybe I should stay with my parents for a while."

 

"Really?"

 

"Seems like a good reason to visit more often."

 

I had never felt so happy because of something a boy said.

Before we realized it, the sky was beginning to brighten. We'd stayed out far longer than we intended.

 

"I'll see you tomorrow," I said.

 

Akuma scratched the back of his neck.

 

"Actually... I can't."

 

My heart sank.

 

"I have a fencing competition."

 

"Oh."

 

"But don't worry."

 

His confident grin returned.

 

"I'll win it."

 

I laughed.

 

"That's a lot of confidence."

 

"When I'm holding a sword? Not really."

 

I shook my head.

Then, before I could overthink it, I stepped forward and hugged him.

For a moment, he completely froze.

It was almost funny.

Then, slowly, he hugged me back.

 

"...I'm really glad I met you, Akari," he said softly.

 

My heart felt lighter than air.

After that, I hurried home and climbed back through my window.

And now, here I am, writing all of this down before I go to sleep.

I wonder if he's thinking about me too.

 

• Chapter 4: It did not feel the same without you. (Akuma)

• Chapter 5: You were the motivation. (Akuma)

Preparation.

It starts now.

The moment I stepped into the arena, I regretted every second I had spent being confident. There were people everywhere. Hundreds of them. Maybe thousands. The crowd pressed against the barriers, cheering, shouting, talking over one another until it all blended together into one giant wall of noise.

My stomach twisted.

Great.

I was already overwhelmed.

I adjusted my fencing suit and looked across the arena. My opponent was already waiting.

His name was Sheil.

Everyone knew who he was. His specialty was speed. Not just ordinary speed, either. The kind of speed that made people wonder if they had actually seen him move. But what made him dangerous wasn't how fast he was. It was how smart he was. He used his speed to confuse people, forcing them to react to attacks that never came before striking from somewhere completely different.

We greeted each other before taking our positions.

The referee raised his hand.

The match began.

The Fight: First Round

I immediately backed away.

Against someone like Sheil, attacking first was a terrible idea. If I rushed him, I'd be playing exactly the game he wanted me to play. So I kept my distance, sword ready, waiting for him to make the first move.

He smiled.

Then he vanished.

A rush of air brushed against my neck.

I dodged instinctively.

His blade flashed past my shoulder.

The crowd erupted.

Before I could recover, he attacked again.

This time I managed to block.

Barely.

The impact rattled my arm.

Then he disappeared again.

Left.

Right.

Behind.

Every attack came from a different angle.

I blocked one strike and immediately had to duck another. The moment I tried to counterattack, he was already gone.

I hadn't landed a single hit.

Not even close.

The worst part was that he looked relaxed.

Like this was easy.

I gritted my teeth and stepped forward, deciding to force the fight on my terms.

Bad idea.

The second I attacked, Sheil sidestepped effortlessly. My blade cut through empty air.

A moment later, his sword tapped my shoulder.

The referee raised a hand.

 

"Point. Sheil."

 

The crowd cheered.

0-1.

Fight: Second Round

Wonderful.

I had spent weeks preparing for this tournament.

And I was getting embarrassed.

Sheil twirled his sword casually.

 

"You'll have to be faster than that."

 

I hated how calm he sounded.

The match resumed.

This time I stayed defensive.

For nearly a minute neither of us scored.

He attacked.

I blocked.

I attacked.

He vanished.

Neither of us could gain an advantage.

The crowd became quieter.

People were waiting for someone to make a mistake.

Unfortunately, that someone was usually me.

Sheil suddenly accelerated.

The pressure hit me immediately.

His attacks came faster than before.

One strike aimed high.

Another low.

A third toward my side.

CLANG.

CLANG.

CLANG.

My sword barely kept up.

Each block came a fraction of a second later than it should have.

I could feel myself falling behind.

Then I noticed something strange.

Every time Sheil moved, I felt it before I saw it.

A slight shift in the air.

A tiny disturbance.

The faster he moved, the more obvious it became.

At first I thought I was imagining things.

Then it happened again.

And again.

An idea began forming.

The next time he disappeared, I ignored my eyes entirely.

I listened.

I felt.

The air changed behind me.

I turned immediately.

CLANG.

For the first time, I stopped him cleanly.

His smile vanished.

Interesting.

The crowd noticed too.

Their cheers grew louder.

He attacked again.

I blocked.

Again.

Blocked.

Again.

Blocked.

Now his eyes were widening.

Not because I was faster.

Because I was adapting.

The match that had felt impossible a minute ago suddenly became manageable.

I slid my blade against his and forced our swords together.

For the first time all fight, he couldn't rely on speed alone.

Now it was strength against strength.

And that was a fight I liked a lot more.

I shoved forward.

He stumbled backward.

Only one step.

But one step was enough.

I lunged.

My blade struck his chest.

 

"Point. Akuma."

 

The crowd exploded.

1-1.

For the first time all match, Sheil looked genuinely surprised.

For the first time all match, I smiled.

Now we were even.

Break

We took a short break before the final round.

I immediately headed to the cafeteria, grabbed a snack bar, and found my friends sitting at one of the tables.

The moment I sat down, I sighed.

 

"Gosh, this guy is tough."

 

Akro looked up from his drink.

 

"You do know he's a three-time tournament champion, right?"

 

I dropped my snack bar.

 

"HE'S WHAT?"

 

The entire table looked at me.

 

"Three-time champion," Akro repeated.

 

"And he's my opponent?!" I said. "I haven't even won one tournament!"

 

Heldor slowly nodded.

 

"Yeah. We know."

 

For a moment, he stared into the distance.

 

"Even I was shocked."

 

I blinked.

That might've been the most concerning thing I'd heard all day.

I genuinely couldn't remember a single time in my life when Heldor had been shocked by anything.

Akro studied me for a few seconds.

Then a grin appeared on his face.

 

"Hey. What if we teamed up?"

 

I frowned.

 

"What do you mean? That can't be allowed."

 

"It is in this tournament."

 

I nearly choked.

 

"What?"

 

Akro leaned back in his chair.

 

"Third round rules. You can bring in a teammate."

 

I stared at him.

 

"You're telling me this now?"

 

"I forgot."

 

"How do you forget something that important?"

 

"I have many talents."

 

"Name one."

 

Akro thought for a moment.

 

"...I'm handsome."

 

Palden immediately threw a fry at him.

Akro caught it.

Unfortunately, he ate it.

Then he continued.

 

"Anyway, I've heard Sheil's teammate is a champion too."

 

My confidence disappeared instantly.

 

"Great."

 

"Apparently he relies on strength instead of speed."

 

"Oh."

 

"He's also ridiculously tall."

 

"Oh."

 

"And muscular."

 

"...Oh."

 

The table went silent.

I looked down at my arms.

Then I looked at Akro.

Then I looked at my arms again.

 

"Akro."

 

"Yeah?"

 

"I'd like to remind you that we're just a bunch of teenagers."

 

"True."

 

"This is starting to feel like David versus Goliath."

 

Akro shrugged.

 

"David won."

 

I stared at him.

"...You know what? That's actually a really good point."

• Chapter 6: I will impress you. (Akuma)

The Fight: Round 3

I looked across the arena.

Sheil and Kratan were already waiting for us.

Great.

A speed demon and a giant.

Exactly what every teenager wants to see before a tournament match.

Me and Akro had spent the entire break discussing strategies.

Or at least, I tried to discuss strategies.

Flashback

"No, Akro. We are not calling them your stupid nicknames during the match."

 

"Why not? Flinty and Speedic sound hilarious."

 

"Do you want to win or tell jokes?"

 

"Both."

 

"Akro."

 

"What?"

 

"Take this seriously."

 

"I am taking it seriously."

 

"You just called a three-time tournament champion 'Speedic.'"

 

"And?"

 

"AKRO."

 

"FINE, FINE. GOSH. YOU ALWAYS MAKE THINGS UNFUN."

 

End Flashback

Looking at him now, I was beginning to think bringing him along had been a terrible idea.

Akro stood beside me and struck a pose.

 

"Don't worry, Akuma. I have a specialty too."

 

"Huh?" I looked at him. "What power do you have?"

 

"The power to bang this big dude's mother. AYYY, GOT 'EM!"

 

"That wasn't funny."

 

"Dude, can you be funny for once?"

 

The match began.

Akro took Kratan.

I got Sheil.

Honestly?

It was easier than our last fight.

I'd adapted.

Every movement.

Every feint.

Every swing.

What had once felt overwhelming now felt predictable.

The arena faded away.

All I could hear was steel crashing against steel.

Then—

 

"Screw it!" Sheil shouted.

 

He spun.

Faster.

Faster.

Until he became a tornado of steel and wind.

My eyes widened.

That attack was dangerous.

I couldn't find an opening.

Then—

 

"Hah!" Akro yelled.

 

"What happened to all that talk about demolishing me and stepping on me, bozo? Wait... I kinda have a kink-"

 

"Grrrr..."

 

Kratan's face turned red.

He ripped his sword from the ground and started charging after Akro.

 

"Oh, wait!"

 

Kratan stopped.

 

"What?"

 

"I have a special technique."

 

Kratan crossed his arms and picked his sword back up.

 

"Hm?"

 

Akro grinned.

 

"RUNNING AWAY! RAHHHHHH!"

 

He bolted.

Kratan immediately chased after him.

Like an idiot.

The giant crashed straight into Sheil's tornado.

The technique collapsed instantly.

Both of them hit the ground.

Me and Akro exchanged a glance.

Then pointed our swords at their throats.

The match was over.

The crowd erupted.

The referee grabbed my wrist and raised it high into the air.

 

"AKUMA WINS, 2-1!"

 

Apparently Akro had also beaten Kratan 2-1.

Which explained why we ended up as teammates in the first place.

I looked around at the cheering crowd.

I had just defeated a three-time champion.

That felt insane.

I couldn't wait to tell Akari.

 

• Chapter 7: Are we really meant to be. (Akari)

It was just a regular Saturday. I woke up, ate breakfast, and spent most of the morning painting. I wondered how Akuma was doing in the tournament. Unfortunately, I couldn't go watch him compete, but I knew he was more than capable of winning. If anyone could do it, it was him.

The cat I rescued a few days ago was sleeping beside me. My parents thought she was adorable, so they decided to keep her. Thankfully, they still didn't know I had snuck out during a storm to save her. I had been feeding her every day since then. She's a girl! and she's orange! I've always wanted a cat like this.

As I painted, my mind began to wander. I started daydreaming about my future with Akuma. In my imagination, he was wearing shining knight armor while I wore a simple white dress. We were dancing together in a field of flowers beneath a clear blue sky. Our favorite song played softly in the distance as we laughed and spun around without a care in the world.

I smiled to myself.

Then I looked down at my canvas.

My smile vanished.

I hadn't painted a flower field at all.

There was no knight. No white dress. No dancing.

Instead, a giant eye stared back at me from the center of the canvas. Dark hands surrounded it, reaching toward it as if they were trying to protect it or worship it. Around them stretched countless wings, layered over one another until I couldn't tell where they began or ended.

I stared at the painting in confusion.

I didn't remember painting any of it.

The cat had woken up and was staring at the canvas as well. No blinking. For a moment, neither of us moved.

Something about the eye felt strangely familiar. I couldn't explain why. It felt like a memory I couldn't quite reach, or a dream I had forgotten the moment I woke up.

The longer I looked at it, the more uneasy I felt.

Then everything went black.

I found myself in a garden filled with every kind of flower I've ever liked. I was alone, but not in a painful way. It didn't feel empty. It felt peaceful, like the world had gently left me to rest. Butterflies drifted through the air, and white doves moved between the flowers as if they belonged there. I felt like I was in Heaven.

I was wearing the exact dress I had been wearing in my daydream. I stood there quietly, looking around, and everything felt perfect. For a moment, I even found myself smiling as I slowly spun once among the flowers, as if I had done it a thousand times before. It felt natural, like my body remembered something my mind couldn't explain.

But when I stopped, I just stood there again, and everything felt still.

The sky was beautiful—deep purple with traces of blue—and the stars above shone like gold. Even the grass had a faint blue tint to it, like the world had forgotten what normal colors were supposed to look like. Nearby stood a tree with fruits I had never seen before. I picked one and ate it. It was the most delicious thing I ever tasted.

Everything was perfect.

But then I realized something.

It wasn't exact.

There was no Akuma.

The moment I noticed it, everything changed. At first, I just stood still, as if he might appear if I waited long enough. Then I started looking around properly, between the flowers and the trees, but no matter how far I looked, he wasn't there.

I didn't understand it at first.

And then I broke.

Not loudly. Not all at once. It was quiet, like something collapsing inside me.

I began singing anyway, almost as if I was calling out to him without meaning to. I remember the song went like this:

 

"Stars shine and light up the night sky,

your arms lay tight around me,

Teardrops start falling down my eyes"

"All I know is everything I need

is for you to be with me

as summer begins to set free"

"The wind blows softly

flower fields everywhere

the sun shines brightly

everyday"

"I know,

summer won't be here forever

all the leaves on all the trees will start to fall"

"But know,

as long as we're together

let's make this summer the best time of our lives!"

 

The garden stayed silent, but it felt like it was listening.

Then an angel appeared in front of me.

I didn't feel afraid of him. If anything, he felt comforting, like something gentle that didn't belong to this world. He stepped closer and hugged me, and I didn't move away.

After a moment, he leaned in and whispered:

"You are pure, may your dreams and hopes be fulfilled, but remember."

He lifted his hand and pointed toward the horizon.

There, far beyond the endless garden, stood a giant clock.

Its hands moved without sound.

I stared at it for a long time.

I didn't understand what it meant.

But somehow, it felt like it understood me.

And then I woke up.

I found the cat still staring at the painting, then I decided to hide it, it was so scary.

but it felt like the cat knew what it was, while it was simply familiar to me.

I know it sounds silly, but I ended up venting to the cat, acting like it was actually listening, it was nodding for some reason so... just keep reading

 

"I love akuma, I really love him, but I just don't think it would work out, I don't want him to leave his grandparents just to visit me, my parents wouldn't even be okay with it, and I've only known him for a few days, I shouldn't have feelings for him"

 

the cat put its paw on my thigh

 

"you're right.. if it's meant to be, nothing can stop it."

 

at that moment, I think I started to lose feelings for him, at first I really thought we were meant to be, Now I'm wondering if we really are.

 

"maybe he doesn't even like me back, and I'm just lying to myself."

 

At first, I thought it was just about Akuma.

But the more I sat there, the more something else started to bother me.

Everything had felt too perfect.

The storm.

The way I met him that night.

The way I happened to find the cat at exactly the right time.

The way we talked, like we had already known each other for years.

Even the way I felt when I saw him—like something inside me had already decided before I even understood what I was feeling.

It didn't feel like chance anymore.

It felt arranged.

I looked down at my hands, then at the sleeping cat beside me.

Why did everything feel like it was leading somewhere?

Why did it feel like I wasn't choosing anything at all?

I shook my head slightly, trying to push the thought away.

That was ridiculous.

Wasn't it?

either way, I'm gonna go see him tonight.

I love you, akuma, I really do, but that's exactly the problem.

 

• Chapter 8: It feels wrong. (Akari)

I woke up with the cat curled up beside me.

Same quiet routine, like always.

I ate breakfast, drank some tea, and spent the morning drawing and painting. The house felt calm—maybe even too calm. Nothing really changes here.

The festival is in a few days. I can't wait.

The cat was sitting by the window while I worked. Just watching outside like she always does. I don't think she cares about anything out there, but she still looks like she's waiting for something.

I couldn't stop thinking about yesterday's dream.

The garden was beautiful... soft, warm, peaceful. But even now, I feel like it was missing something.

My favorite thing.

At first, that thought felt comforting. Like I was close to something important, something I almost understood.

But the more I thought about it, the more it started to feel wrong in a way I can't explain.

That "favorite thing" didn't feel bright anymore.

It felt fragile. Like if I focused on it too much, I'd lose it completely.

 

“All I know is everything I need is for him to be with me...”

 

The words came back on their own, like I didn't even choose them.

I paused my brush.

 

“...but realistically, I want him off of me.”

 

I stared at my canvas for a moment.

It didn't feel like a strong thought. Just a confusing one. Like it didn't fully belong to me, but it still came from me.

The cat tilted her head slightly from the window when I spoke. I don't know why, but I noticed it.

Maybe when I see him, I'll finally understand what I'm feeling.

Maybe I'll know if I was just overthinking everything.

I finished my tea and cleaned my brushes slowly.

The house stayed quiet.

The cat was on the sofa now, watching me again. She doesn't really do anything, but I kept noticing her more than usual.

I stood there for a moment longer than I needed to.

Maybe when I see him, I'll understand.

That thought stayed with me as I got ready.

I changed my clothes, fixed my hair, and checked everything twice for no reason. It wasn't like anything important was happening. It was just... him.

Just Akuma.

The cat moved slightly when I walked past her, but didn't follow me. She just watched.

I stepped outside.

The air felt softer than I expected. Not warm, not cold. Just calm.

As I walked, I kept telling myself it was simple. We were just meeting. Talking. Like always.

But every now and then, another thought slipped in.

What if nothing feels the same anymore?

I shook my head slightly.

I was probably thinking too much again.

From the window behind me, I thought I saw the cat still watching me.

I wasn't sure.

The path to the meeting place felt shorter than usual.

Or maybe I was just distracted.

By the time I arrived, I could already see him waiting.

He waved as soon as he noticed me.

 

“Hey!” he shouted. “Hum hum, I, the great Akuma, have come to deliver some news!”

 

I blinked at him.

 

“What? You won the first round?”

 

“Indeed! Haha!”

 

“Oh... good for you.”

 

I sat down on the bench next to him.

We always sit here when we meet.

It used to feel natural.

It still looks the same, but something about it feels... slightly different now. I don't know why.

Akuma was smiling like usual. He always talks like nothing in the world is heavy enough to slow him down.

 

“So, uh... what have you been up to?” he asked.

 

I hesitated for a second.

 

“Uh... nothing,” I said, a little too quickly.

I looked away after I said it.

I didn't mean to sound like that.

I heard him laugh lightly.

 

“I got you your favorite chocolate.”

 

“Oh... that's sweet of you.”

 

I heard my own voice and immediately noticed something strange about it.

It didn't sound wrong.

It just didn't sound like it used to.

There was a short silence after that.

Not uncomfortable.

Just... there.

I stared at my hands for a moment.

Why does everything feel slightly delayed today?

Like I'm always half a second behind myself.

 

“Hey,” Akuma said again, breaking the silence. “Wanna come to my garage again? Let's see if you've improved!”

 

“I don't know,” I said after a moment. “I have some things to do tomorrow... I need to wake up early.”

 

“Oh.”

 

He just said it like that.

Not annoyed. Not angry.

Just... a little quieter.

And somehow, that felt worse than if he had been upset.

Another silence followed.

I should probably say something else.

Something normal.

Something that fixes this feeling I don't understand.

But nothing came out.

I stood up slowly.

 

“It was nice to see you, Akuma.”

 

“Yeah... it was nice to meet you too, I guess.”

 

He laughed a little at the end, like he was trying to make it lighter.

It didn't really work.

I nodded once.

Then I turned away before I could think too much about it.

On the way back, I didn't walk faster.

I didn't walk slower either.

I just walked.

And the whole time, I kept thinking the same thing.

Nothing happened.

So why does everything feel different?

 

• Chapter 9: Are you okay? (Akuma)

Akari was acting slightly off. I didn't ask her what was wrong because I was scared she wouldn't answer. Gosh, I hated that night.

But surely it was just a phase. Maybe she'd wake up tomorrow and feel happy again. I hoped so.

Anyway, today was the finale of the tournament. I was drinking tea on the balcony when I heard shouting from below.

 

"HEYYYYY AKUMA!"

 

I looked down and saw Palden waving his arms around.

 

"WE'RE GOING TO GET LUNCH! IF YOU DON'T COME DOWN THIS VERY INSTANT, I WILL DEEP FRY YOU IN EIIGHT HUNDRED DEGREES CELSIUS!"

 

Before I could answer, Akro immediately joined in.

 

"YEAHHH AKUMA! LISTEN TO YOUR DADDY!"

 

Palden slowly turned toward him.

 

"Akro. What the fuck."

 

"Sorry, Palden. I think I got carried away."

 

Heldon shook his head.´

 

"You know, that's not even funny."

 

"EXACTLY."

 

"Oh come on, you guys are no fun."

 

I blinked. Then I changed clothes, grabbed my fencing equipment, and headed downstairs. By the time I got there, they were already walking away.

 

"Hey! Wait for me!"

 

After catching up to them, we eventually ended up at an Italian restaurant. That was probably our first mistake.

The menu had way too many pizza options, and somehow that turned into a full argument. Me, Palden, and Akro spent several minutes debating over what pizza we should get while random strangers kept looking over at our table. At one point I was pretty sure the waiter was regretting his career choices.

Meanwhile, Heldon wasn't even participating. He was just sitting there quietly while the rest of us argued.

Eventually Palden rolled his eyes.

 

"Fine. We'll order the stupid pepperoni."

 

The waiter nodded and left.

A few minutes later he returned and placed a mushroom pizza on our table.

I stared at it.

 

"Uhm... I don't think that's our order."

 

"Oh no," Heldon said. "It definitely is."

 

We all looked at him.

 

"HELDON."

 

"What?"

 

"YOU KNOW WE DON'T LIKE MUSHROOMS."

 

"Oh."

 

He shrugged.

 

"I like mushrooms."

 

Apparently while we were arguing, Heldon had secretly ordered his own pizza for the entire table.

I grabbed a slice and took a bite.

 

"Ugh... ew mus."

 

I immediately regretted my decision.

Palden took a bite too.

His eyes widened.

Then his pupils practically turned into hearts.

 

"I love it."

 

Silence.

 

"Thank you, Heldon. You're the best."

 

I have absolutely no idea what happened to him, but at that point I was too hungry to question it.

Eventually the waiter came back carrying the bill.

 

"That'll be 220 pounds."

 

Our jaws dropped.

I stared at the receipt for a few seconds before looking back at him.

 

"Uhm, excuse me, sir? Usually when we come here it's only like nine pounds."

 

The waiter nodded.

 

"That's because your blonde friend ordered an entire bowl of caviar."

 

Silence.

We all slowly turned toward Akro's chair.

It was empty.

Across the restaurant, I spotted a familiar blonde idiot sneakily making his way toward the exit.

 

"Oooo..."

 

Step.

 

"Sneaky sneaky..."

 

Another step.

 

"They can't see me..."

 

"Akro."

 

He froze.

I was standing right behind him.

He turned around and immediately started waving his arms.

 

"Booooohhh! It's a dream! None of this is real!"

 

"Akro."

 

"Yes?"

 

"What the fuck."

 

"When I looked at the menu it said two pounds!"

 

"That's because your thumb was covering the rest of the price, idiot! It's two hundred and eleven pounds!"

 

Before he could answer, the waiter suddenly spoke up.

 

"Wait, I made a mistake."

 

Palden immediately sighed in relief.

 

"There we go."

 

The waiter checked the receipt again.

 

"It's actually nine hundred pounds."

 

Our souls collectively left our bodies.

I immediately grabbed Akro by the shirt.

 

"Oh yeah..." he said nervously. "I ordered a whole bowl of it. My bad. Hehe."

 

"Tell me what is stopping me from giving you a permanent tattoo across your face."

 

"Fuck off, Akuma! We're friends!"

 

Before I could answer, an old man approached our table. I hadn't noticed him before, but there was something strange about him. He calmly paid the bill without hesitation.

 

"Let the youngsters go," he said. "They can make mistakes."

 

The waiter nodded, and just like that, the problem disappeared.

The old man then walked toward me. He handed me a book and leaned closer.

 

"Don't tell anyone," he whispered.

 

Then his expression became serious.

 

"I know you."

 

Before I could ask what he meant, he turned around and left the restaurant.

Just like that.

Gone.

I stared at the book for a moment before putting it in my bag. Something about that interaction felt strange, but I couldn't explain why.

We left the restaurant shortly afterward.

On the way back, I looked over at Akro. He was happily humming to himself like he hadn't nearly bankrupted our entire friend group.

I sighed.

Maybe I had been too harsh on him.

He was weird.

Ridiculously weird.

But that's exactly why we liked him.

 

• Chapter 10: You were my determination. (Akuma)

We left the restaurant and made our way to the tournament. I still hadn't read the book, but I kept thinking about it. It looked old. Dusty. The kind of thing you'd find forgotten at the bottom of a chest somewhere. But every time I glanced at it, something stirred in my chest — a feeling I couldn't quite name. Like it had always been mine and I was only just finding out.

I pushed the thought aside and met Akro outside the arena.

 

"How many rounds?" I asked.

 

"Best of ten."

 

I stared at him.

 

"Best of what?"

 

"You have to win five times."

 

"I hate this already." I pinched the bridge of my nose. "Just tell me who my opponent is."

 

"His name is Aron. First tournament, same as you."

 

"Specialties?"

 

Akro crossed his arms like he was about to deliver the most important speech of his life.

"Insane reflexes. Like, genuinely insane. We're talking — when a blade is point zero zero zero zero zero one nanometers from his face, he catches it. With his bare fingers."

 

I looked at him.

 

"That's the best explanation you could come up with?"

 

"What did you expect? I'm Akro. I'm very cool." He waved a hand. "Remind me what your specialties are again?"

 

"Good reflexes. Strategic thinking. I learned a lot from fighting Sheil." I paused. "I owe him respect for that."

 

"Speed? Strength?"

 

"Not really." I shrugged. "I'm just a regular person."

 

Akro went quiet for a second.

 

"Alright."

 

I stepped into the arena.

The crowd erupted. Cheering, shouting, chanting my name — it was overwhelming in the best possible way. I'd never heard anything like it directed at me before.

Then Aron entered.

The noise doubled.

He didn't just walk in. He spun his way across the entrance like a dancer mid-performance, fluid and completely unbothered, then moonwalked the rest of the way to his side of the arena. The crowd lost their minds. The cheering was so loud the ground vibrated beneath my feet.

 

"Aron! Aron! Aron! Aron!"

 

"GO ARON! I LOVE YOU ARON!"

 

I stood there watching him.

He was showboating before the match had even started.

I decided immediately that I didn't like him.

He drew his blade slowly, eyes fixed on me, and smiled like he already knew how this ended.

 

"You will either win as a champion I will admire," he said, "or you will lose as a lesser version of me that I will mock for the rest of my life."

 

I drew my own blade.

There can only be one winner.

And the only timeline I believed in was the one where it was me.

The referee lifted his arm.

 

"Go."

 

We circled each other immediately. I was cautious. So was he.

Then, before my mind could process what happened —

 

"Point. Aron. One — zero."

 

I blinked.

When did he touch me?

Round two. I was more careful this time, studying every movement, every shift in his stance. Slowly it became clear. Extreme precision. Inhuman reaction time. Perfect reflection of whatever came at him. He was Sheil, but built differently — less about speed, more about reading everything you threw at him and sending it straight back.

I adjusted. Stopped attacking the way he expected. Slipped through his guard once.

 

"Point. Akuma. One — one."

 

He was still smiling.

Round three, he changed completely. He started moving like he was dancing — loose, unpredictable, almost theatrical. He shifted styles mid-movement in a way I'd never seen before and hit me with something I couldn't even describe afterward.

 

"Point. Aron. Two — one."

 

It felt like cheating.

That's when I understood his real strategy. Every round, a different fighting style. By the time I adapted to one, it was already gone.

Then he looked at me and said something that stopped my heart.

 

"What did you expect? I'm Akro. I'm very cool." He tilted his head. "Remind me what your specialties are again?"

 

My eyes widened.

 

"What."

"You haven't figured it out yet?"

 

I was trembling.

The flashback hit me all at once. The conversation outside the arena. The way he stood. The way he spoke. That wasn't Akro. That was never Akro. It was Aron, in disguise, the entire time — pulling every weakness out of me before the match even started.

He lunged. I dodged on instinct.

 

"Good reflexes. Strategic thinking." He smiled as he circled me. "Though honestly? You have neither speed nor strength. You said it yourself. You're just a regular person."

 

He turned sharply and scored before I could recover.

 

"Point. Aron. Three — one."

 

"Damn it."

 

"Two more," he said pleasantly, "and I'll be humiliating you for the rest of my life."

 

Something snapped.

The moment the next round started I stopped thinking. I ran at him like I had something to prove — because I did. He blocked my first strike. I spun and caught him from the other side before he could reset.

 

"That speed—" CLANG. CLANG. "That strength — wait—"

 

"Point. Akuma. Three — two."

 

He exhaled. A small sound. Almost impressed.

Somewhere in the exchange I'd caught his mask. A thin line of red appeared just below his eye. He reached up and wiped it slowly, staring at me with something new in his expression.

Then he said it.

 

"You know... when I win, I'll make sure to tell your girl all about this."

 

The arena went quiet in my head.

Everything else disappeared.

What he just said had nothing to do with fencing. It was unnecessary. Deliberate. And it worked, because the rage that came after was the kind that makes your hands shake.

I held it together. Barely.

The match continued. I could read him now — almost every movement, almost every shift. The only thing keeping him competitive was that reflection, that impossible instinct to counter anything clean I threw at him.

Then he walked forward, grabbed my shoulder, and shoved me before scoring.

 

"Point. Aron. Four — three."

 

The crowd murmured. A few people shouted. The referee said nothing.

He spat on the ground and smiled at me.

I had never wanted to win something more in my life.

The next round I fought with everything I had. So did he. We were dead even, trading blocks and counters until he found a gap and drove it home.

 

"Point. Aron. Four — four, match point."

 

One round left. Everything on the line.

The referee lifted his arm — and then a voice cut through the entire arena.

 

"Hold on."

 

Akro was standing at the barrier, pointing directly at the referee.

 

"You want to explain what just happened in that last round? The shove? Or were you too busy counting the money he paid you before the match?"

 

The referee's expression flickered.

 

"I don't know what you're — "

 

"Everyone in this arena saw it. That wasn't fencing. That was assault. And you called the point anyway." Akro looked out at the crowd. "If this is what fencing is — not a battle of blades, not a battle of skill, but a battle of wallets — then none of us should be here."

 

The silence that followed was enormous.

Then the crowd began to boo. Slowly at first, then all at once, until the whole arena turned against the referee and he had nowhere left to go.

 

"Fine," he said quietly. "Point stands for Akuma. Four — four."

I crossed the arena and grabbed Akro by the shoulder.

 

"Thank you."

 

"That's what friends are for." He shrugged. "Now go win."

 

Aron was different now. The smile was gone. His breathing was uneven. Whatever composure he'd walked in with had cracked and he hadn't been able to put it back together.

I felt calm. Completely calm.

The referee lifted his arm.

 

"Final round. Go."

 

We clashed. Once, twice, three times — steel on steel, neither of us giving anything away. Then I did something he didn't expect. I used his own footwork against him. The same dancing movement he'd used in round three, turned back on him before he could recognise it.

He hesitated for half a second.

That was enough.

I thrust forward. Clean. Decisive.

He stumbled back and hit the ground.

The arena exploded.

He lay there for a moment, then looked up at me with something between fury and disbelief.

 

"I don't deserve this," he said. His voice had lost all its confidence. "It's my first tournament. I worked so hard. You don't deserve this — I do."

 

I looked down at him.

Then I extended my hand.

He reached for it.

I pulled mine back, looked him dead in the eyes, and walked away.

The referee grabbed my wrist and raised it above my head.

 

"AKUMA! AKUMA! AKUMA!"

 

I was the fencing champion.

I held the trophy and let my friends carry me on their shoulders — Akro, Palden, Heldon, all of them — and for one moment everything in the world was exactly right.

I just wished she was here to see it.

Akari. You were my motivation. My determination. I hope I impressed you.

After the victory, the four of us found a quiet corner of a fancy café. It had a good vibe — the kind of place that made you sit up a little straighter without meaning to. Without even discussing it, we all ordered the same thing. Orange soda over ice.

Akro disappeared to the bathroom. Palden spotted a girl across the room and immediately forgot we existed.

Heldon looked at me over the rim of his glass.

 

"Akuma. Have you read the book yet?"

 

I glanced at my bag.

 

"Not really. Should we?"

 

He set his cup down slowly.

 

"That old man was strange. Not in a good or bad way — just strange. Are you sure what he gave you is safe? No rituals. No strings attached."

 

"I mean, I accepted it because it looked like a free book." I paused. "You know I can be a bookworm sometimes."

 

Heldon stared at the table for a long moment.

 

"Let's read it."

 

"Alright."

 

I placed it on the table and opened the cover.

Light poured out first — warm, then shifting, then darkening until the warmth was completely gone. Something moved inside the pages. Wings. Shadows. A sound like the air being pulled out of the room.

Then nothing.

We were on the floor.

Akro came back from the bathroom, saw us, and froze in the doorway.

 

"W — w — wha—" I managed.

 

"Num num num num num." Heldon said. He only did that when he was genuinely speechless.

 

Akro leaned over and looked at the open book. Two seconds later he was on the floor with us.

Palden came back from across the room, looked at all three of us on the ground, said "Oh, is that a book? I love books," and immediately joined us.

Five minutes passed.

We all sat up at roughly the same time.

 

"What was that," I said quietly.

 

"It felt like we weren't supposed to read it yet," Heldon said, completely calm, as if he hadn't just lost consciousness in a café.

 

Akro straightened his collar and stared into the middle distance.

 

"I dreamed of the most incredible woman I have ever seen in my entire life. We're talking otherworldly. We're talking she dominated me."

 

Palden turned to him slowly.

 

"...Me too."

 

They dapped immediately.

 

"Weirdos," I muttered.

 

The waiter giggled.

 

"Anyway," Palden said, already on his feet, scratching the back of his neck. "I have to go see this girl."

 

"I'll see you tomorrow," Heldon said, collecting his things without any further comment on what had just happened.

 

"I've got things to do," Akro said, heading for the door.

 

We hugged at the exit — all four of us — and went our separate ways into the night.

Walking home, the trophy under my arm, I thought about everything that had happened today.

It was a great day.

But not a perfect one.

Because at the end of it, she wasn't there.

Goodnight, Akari.

I love you.

 

• Chapter 11: Akro (Akro)

I was in the café bathroom doing my business, of course. Nothing unusual. Just another completely normal night. Well... almost. Me and Palden are currently in a competition to see who gets a girlfriend first. Personally, I don't even know why he's still trying. Have you seen me? This victory is basically guaranteed. He's fighting a losing battle, and honestly, I respect the confidence.

Anyway, I washed my hands, dried them, and turned toward the door. Then I saw it. A spider. Not just any spider either... a MASSIVE one. The kind that makes you wonder whether evolution accidentally skipped a few steps. I genuinely have no idea why something that big is allowed to exist. Whoever designed spiders clearly had a personal grudge against humanity.

 

"...Nope."

 

I reached for the doorknob. It wouldn't open. I tried again. Still nothing.

"Oh, so now you decide to stop working."

Meanwhile, the spider started crawling toward me. And when I say slowly, I mean the kind of slow that somehow makes everything ten times scarier. It wasn't in a hurry. It looked completely confident that I'd still be there by the time it reached me. Which, to be fair, I probably would've been considering the stupid door had betrayed me.

 

"...Absolutely not."

 

I climbed onto the sink like the survival expert I obviously am and looked around for something. ANYTHING I could use as a weapon. Unfortunately, the bathroom wasn't exactly stocked with swords, flamethrowers, or tactical nukes. The best thing I could find was... water.

So I started throwing it at the spider.

 

"BACK, DEMON!"

 

Splash.

 

"GO AWAY!"

 

Splash.

 

"I PAY TAXES!"

 

...Actually, I don't.

Eventually, the spider decided I wasn't worth the effort and crawled away. I cautiously climbed down from the sink, stared at the door for a second, and reached for the handle again.

It opened immediately.

 

"...You're kidding."

 

I looked at the door, then back at where the spider had been, then at the door again.

"You know what? I'm not even questioning it anymore."

I walked back into the café and immediately found Akuma and Heldon lying on the floor. Asleep. At midnight. Like perfectly normal human beings.

 

"..."

 

"...I'm surrounded by idiots."

 

I was about to wake them up when something on one of the nearby tables caught my attention. A book. Now, I love books. Like, genuinely love them. If I see one lying around, my brain immediately decides that whatever I was doing five seconds ago no longer matters. Ignoring a book feels illegal. It's basically asking to miss out on an adventure.

So naturally...

I picked it up.

There wasn't a title on the cover.

 

"...Mysterious."

 

I slowly opened it.

The pages were completely blank.

 

"...Huh."

 

I flipped to another page.

Blank.

Another one.

Still blank.

 

"...I just got baited by a notebook."

 

The moment I closed it, the world around me disappeared.

One second I was standing inside the café.

The next...

I was somewhere completely different.

I found myself sitting inside a bar. Which was already confusing because I'm sixteen, I've never tasted alcohol in my life, and somehow I was already drunk. Dream logic, I guess. At that point I wasn't even questioning it. The place was surprisingly lively. People laughed with one another, music echoed through the room, and almost everyone seemed to be dancing like they didn't have a single problem in the world.

Honestly...

It looked fun.

That's when I noticed a girl sitting a few seats away from me. She was around my age, pretty enough to make me forget I was supposedly inside a dream, and she looked just as bored as I was. Naturally, as the incredibly smooth gentleman that I obviously am, I walked over and asked if she'd like to dance.

Fully expecting her to reject me.

 

"...Sure," she replied.

 

"...Wait, really?"

 

She laughed.

A few seconds later, we were dancing together in the middle of the room while everyone around us clapped along with the music. We sang songs neither of us actually knew the words to, laughed at absolutely nothing, and somehow it felt like we'd known each other for years. I remember looking around and thinking that this was probably the happiest I'd felt in a long time.

Then she smiled at me.

 

"...Would you like to come over to my place?"

 

I don't think I've ever nodded faster in my entire life. Physics itself probably gave up trying to explain it. We left the bar together and walked through the quiet streets until we reached her apartment. She unlocked the front door, invited me inside, and after talking for a little while, we eventually made our way toward her bedroom.

I won't lie.

I genuinely thought this was about to become the greatest dream in human history.

She reached for the doorknob.

Opened the door.

And—

I woke up.

 

"..."

 

"...ARE YOU SERIOUS?!"

 

I sat there in complete disbelief. It was literally getting good. Whoever controls dreams owes me a personal apology, because that was the biggest act of disrespect I've ever experienced.

We drank some orange soda afterward. Or juice. Honestly, I still don't know the difference, and at that point I was too busy mourning the greatest dream of my life to care. What did make me feel better was hearing Palden say he'd dreamed about some gorgeous girl too. I immediately dapped him up.

 

"My man."

 

We hugged everyone goodbye and headed our separate ways. Akuma went home, Heldon disappeared somewhere, Palden probably went to think about his dream girl, and I headed back to my house. I wanted to paint. Painting usually helps me clear my head. Or maybe it just distracts me long enough that I forget why I wasn't feeling great in the first place.

The walk home was actually pretty nice. I kept thinking about that dream. Seriously. You let me get all the way to her bedroom and then I wake up? That's just evil. Whoever's in charge of dreams clearly wakes up every morning and thinks, "How can I ruin Akro's day today?" I unlocked the front door, threw my bag onto the couch, and looked around.

 

"...Huh."

 

It's always weird coming home after spending the day with the boys. One minute everyone's laughing, Palden's threatening somebody, Akuma's trying to act cool, and Heldon somehow causes problems without even trying. Then everyone leaves, and suddenly it's just... quiet. Really quiet. Funny how silence gets louder when you're the only one listening to it.

I sighed and shook my head.

 

"Nope."

 

I'm not letting my own brain win today. I grabbed my paints, set up my canvas, and started working. I didn't really know what I wanted to paint, but that's normal for me. I usually just move the brush around until something starts making sense. Surprisingly, it was actually working. After a while I'd completely forgotten about the café, the dream, and even that giant spider from earlier.

Then I suddenly got the urge to look outside. Not because I heard something. Not because I saw something. Just... an urge. It was strong enough that I actually stopped painting halfway through a brushstroke. "...The hell?" I walked over to the window and looked outside. The street was still busy even though it was late. A few shopkeepers were packing up for the night, people were heading home, and someone across the street looked like they were arguing over a loaf of bread. Honestly... pretty normal. Then I noticed an old woman. She looked exhausted. Every few steps she'd stop for a moment before forcing herself forward again. Even from my window I could tell she wasn't doing well. "...Ah, crap." There went my evening.

I hurried downstairs and caught up to her before she got much farther. "Excuse me, ma'am," I said. "Do you need any help?" She stopped walking. For a couple of seconds she didn't move at all. I was just about to ask if she'd heard me when she slowly turned around. I expected grandma eyes. You know... grandma eyes. Instead... they were black. Like... actually black. Not dark brown. Not because it was nighttime. Just... black. Then blood started pouring out of them. "...Nope." Every single thought in my head immediately agreed on one thing.

Run.

Unfortunately, my body chose a different option. The old lady suddenly stumbled forward like she was about to collapse, and I instinctively caught her before she hit the ground. "Ma'am?! Are you okay?!" She leaned against me. "...Uh..." Was she... hugging me? I mean... weird timing, but thanks, I gue—

...

Oh.

That's a knife.

I looked down at the blade sticking out of my stomach.

 

"...Well."

 

That's unfortunate.

Before I could even panic, everything disappeared. No pain. No scream. One blink... and the street was gone.

When I opened my eyes again...

I wasn't home anymore.

When I opened my eyes again, I wasn't in the street anymore.

I was standing in the middle of a market. Not just any market, either. It was the market. The one my mom always dragged me to whenever she wanted new clothes. We'd spend hours walking from one shop to another while I slowly accepted my fate. The only reason I survived those trips was because she'd eventually buy me ice cream afterward. ...Worth it. Usually. But this place didn't feel the same. It was nighttime, the entire market was empty, and every workshop looked abandoned. Their wooden doors hung open just enough for the darkness inside to spill onto the street. The sand beneath my feet looked dirty, almost untouched, like nobody had walked through here in years. There were no shopkeepers, no customers, no lights... nothing. Just silence.

The wind was freezing. I rubbed my arms, hoping it'd help. It didn't. "...Okay." Not exactly my favorite vacation spot. I wandered around for a few minutes, but every path looked exactly the same. Eventually I noticed one of the market stalls still had a thick carpet hanging over its roof. I climbed up, pulled it down, and wrapped myself in it like the world's saddest burrito. "...Much better." Honestly? Not really. I was still freezing, just slightly less freezing than before. There wasn't much else I could do, so I leaned against one of the empty stalls, pulled the carpet tighter around myself, and closed my eyes. Maybe if I slept... I'd wake up somewhere less depressing.

For a while, everything was quiet. I actually started thinking I might be able to fall asleep.

Thunk.

My eyes opened immediately.

 

"...Did something just fall?"

 

I slowly sat up and looked around. Nothing. The market looked exactly the same as before. Empty. Silent. Cold. "...Great." I was just about to lie back down when something caught my eye. A teddy bear was sitting on the ground right beside me. I blinked a couple of times. "...Hold on." Where the hell did you come from? I looked around again, expecting to find someone hiding nearby, but there was nothing. No footsteps. No voices. No movement. Just... a teddy bear. I picked it up. It felt completely normal. Soft, old, and a little dusty. "...You're either harmless," I muttered, glancing around one more time, "...or this is about to become the worst horror movie ever." The teddy bear, surprisingly, chose not to answer. Rude.

I set it back down and continued walking through the market. The silence somehow felt heavier now. Every step echoed farther than it should have, and every shadow looked just a little darker than the last. I kept telling myself I was overthinking things, but that stopped working the moment my stomach growled. "...Seriously?" Now? Of all times? I sighed and started looking around for literally anything edible. Bread. Fruit. A suspiciously old sandwich. I wasn't exactly in a position to be picky anymore. There was nothing. Not a single thing. Then, as I glanced toward one of the abandoned workshops...

I froze.

There were eyes.

Just...

eyes.

Staring at me from inside the darkness.

 

"..."

 

"...No."

 

I slowly took a step backward. They didn't blink. They didn't move. They just... watched. "You know..." I muttered, refusing to take my eyes off them. "I've officially had enough of today." I turned around and started walking away as calmly as I could. I slowly took a step backward. They didn't blink. They didn't move. They just... watched. "You know..." I muttered, refusing to take my eyes off them. "I've officially had enough of today." I turned around and started walking away as calmly as I could.

Because everybody knows...

If you pretend you're brave...

You're still scared.

Just slower.

I turned around and started walking away as calmly as I could. Running felt like a terrible idea. If those eyes belonged to... whatever that thing was... I didn't really want it knowing I was scared. Unfortunately, my body forgot to tell my brain that. About five seconds later I was speedwalking. "...This is still calm." Totally. I kept glancing over my shoulder every now and then, hoping the eyes had disappeared. They hadn't. They were still there, peeking out from the darkness inside the workshop. I stopped walking. They moved. I took another step backward. They moved again. "...No." I wasn't imagining it. Whatever was inside that building was following me. Slowly. Very slowly. Every time I stepped back, it stepped forward, almost like it was waiting for me to panic. I stared at it for another second before making the smartest decision I'd had all night.

 

I ran.

 

I didn't care where anymore. Every street looked identical, every abandoned shop blended into the next, and I was pretty sure I ran in a complete circle at least twice. My lungs were burning, my legs were begging me to stop, and somehow I still found enough energy to keep looking behind me every few seconds. Nothing. "...Maybe I lost it." I looked forward again. "...OH COME ON." It was standing right in front of me. I honestly still can't tell you what it looked like. It wasn't tall. It wasn't muscular. It wasn't... anything. It was just black. Completely black, like someone had cut the shape of a person out of reality and forgotten to fill the hole back in. The only thing I could actually make out were its enormous white eyes staring directly into mine. "...Nope." I immediately turned around and sprinted in the opposite direction before my brain could come up with another terrible idea.

After what felt like forever, I stumbled across an abandoned popcorn shop. The front door had already fallen off its hinges, the shelves were covered in dust, and the whole place looked like nobody had stepped inside for years. But sitting on those shelves were dozens of bags of popcorn. "...Jackpot." I know stealing is bad. Counterargument... I was starving. Besides, if this really was a dream, I was technically stealing from my own subconscious. That's basically borrowing. I grabbed as many bags as I could carry, sat behind the counter, and immediately started eating. "...Honestly... this isn't even bad." Then...

 

Knock. Knock. Knock.

 

I froze.

Someone was at the door.

 

"...Wait."

 

The owner?

 

"...Oh."

"...Yeah."

 

That actually made sense.

I stood up, brushed the popcorn crumbs off my shirt, and walked toward the entrance. "Sorry!" I called. "I was really hungry!" I pulled the door open without thinking.

It wasn't the owner.

It was a clown.

He stood perfectly still, holding a knife in one hand. Neither of us said anything for a couple of seconds. "...You know..." I scratched the back of my neck. "...I don't think you're here about the popcorn." The clown took one slow step toward me. "...Right." I slammed the door shut so hard the whole building shook. "NOPE." My eyes darted around the room looking for somewhere... anywhere to hide. Table. Shelves. Boxes. Nothing. Then I noticed an old wooden chest tucked away in the corner. "...Good enough." I climbed inside, pulled the lid shut above me, and held my breath. A second later the front door exploded inward with a deafening crash. Heavy footsteps echoed across the wooden floor. Slow. Careful. Getting closer. My heart was beating so loudly I was genuinely worried the clown could hear it. I reached down and grabbed the rusty crowbar lying beside me, squeezing it so tightly my hands started hurting. Please don't open it. Please don't... The footsteps stopped. Right outside the chest. Everything went silent. No footsteps. No breathing. Nothing. I stayed completely still until, a few moments later, I heard the footsteps begin moving away again. Five seconds. Ten. Twenty. Slowly, I pushed the lid open just enough to peek outside.

The clown was standing by the broken window, staring into the street like he thought I'd escaped. "...Now." Before I could talk myself out of it, I jumped out of the chest and swung the crowbar with everything I had. The impact echoed through the empty shop, and the clown collapsed onto the floor without making a sound. I just stood there, staring at him while my heart slowly calmed down.

 

"...Well."

 

That happened.

 

I just stood there for a while, staring at the clown lying on the floor. My breathing slowly returned to normal, but something still felt... wrong. I looked down at the crowbar in my hand, then back at the clown. "...Sorry." I didn't really know why I apologized. Maybe because he hadn't actually done anything yet. Maybe because hitting someone over the head with a crowbar isn't exactly polite. Either way, I sighed, crouched beside him, and noticed a folded letter sticking out of his pocket. "...Huh?" I carefully pulled it out and unfolded it.

"To whoever finds this... if you're reading this, then I'm probably dead. My name doesn't matter anymore. I own this popcorn shop, or... I used to. There's something wandering these streets at night. A thing made entirely of darkness with enormous eyes. It doesn't speak. It doesn't eat. It just watches. If you see it... run. I carry this knife because the back door jams sometimes, and it's the only thing thin enough to force the lock open. If I ever come running toward you with it... please don't misunderstand."

"..."

 

"...Oops."

 

I slowly looked back at the clown.

 

"...I think I misunderstood."

 

Quite a lot, actually.

I rubbed the back of my neck and laughed awkwardly, even though nobody was there to hear it. "...Well... this is embarrassing." I was just about to see if he was still breathing when something made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. The shop suddenly felt colder. Much colder. I slowly turned toward the broken doorway.

The entity was standing there.

Completely still.

Watching me.

"..."

 

"...I really picked the wrong guy."

 

I immediately grabbed the clown's knife and charged forward like the fearless warrior I definitely wasn't. "RAHHH!" I swung with everything I had. The blade went straight through the entity like it wasn't even there. I nearly fell over from the momentum. "...Right." Ghost rules. Good to know. The entity didn't react. It just kept staring at me with those enormous white eyes. I stared back for a second before making another brilliant tactical decision.

I ran away.

Again.

The market seemed even bigger now. Every corner led to another empty street, every workshop looked exactly the same, and I was beginning to think this place physically enjoyed watching me get lost. I kept running until I noticed something strange. The entity wasn't chasing me anymore. In fact... it had somehow gotten in front of me. "...Excuse me?" I stopped. It stopped. We just stood there looking at each other for a second.

Then...

It turned around.

And started running.

 

"..."

 

"...Why are you running?"

 

I blinked.

Then I heard it.

A deep metallic rumble echoed through the market. The ground began trembling beneath my feet. I slowly looked behind me.

There was a gigantic iron ball rolling straight toward us.

 

"...WHAT."

 

It wasn't just big.

It was absurdly big.

The kind of big where you stop asking questions because you already know there won't be any good answers.

I looked back at the entity.

It was still running.

 

"...Hold on."

 

"...You're scared too?"

 

For some reason, that made me feel slightly better.

Not much.

Slightly.

The three of us kept sprinting through the market together. Me, the terrifying shadow monster, and the world's angriest iron ball. Honestly, if somebody painted this scene, nobody would believe it. My legs were beginning to give out when something finally clicked inside my head.

 

"...Wait."

0

The iron ball appeared out of nowhere.

The letter appeared out of nowhere.

The entity ignored the knife.

None of this made any sense.

 

"..."

 

"...This has to be a dream."

 

I stopped running.

The entity kept going.

The iron ball didn't.

It froze in midair.

 

"..."

 

I looked at my hand.

 

"...No way."

 

I held it toward the giant iron ball. "...Disappear." Nothing happened. "...Please?" Still nothing. "...Okay then." I pointed dramatically at it. "I CAST..." I paused for a moment. "...Uh..." Another pause. "...IRON BALL BE GONE!" The gigantic iron ball instantly exploded into dust. I just stood there staring at the empty air where it had been a second ago before a grin slowly spread across my face. "...I HAVE POWERS?!" I burst out laughing. "OH, THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING."

The sun rose in an instant, washing away the freezing night and replacing it with warm golden light stretching across the market. I looked over at the entity, who had stopped running and was now staring at me with the exact same expressionless face as before. "...You know what? I don't like you looking scary." I snapped my fingers. The shadow disappeared, replaced by a guy wearing a pizza delivery uniform with a little cap, a cardboard pizza box tucked under one arm, and somehow the most exhausted expression I'd ever seen. We stared at each other for a few seconds. "...I'm naming you Bob." He blinked once before giving me a thumbs-up. "I KNEW YOU'D LIKE IT." Remembering the clown, I hurried back to the popcorn shop and snapped my fingers again. He immediately sat up, rubbed the back of his head, and looked around in confusion. "...Morning." "...It's afternoon," I replied. "...Oh." He thought about it for a second. "...Fair enough." Honestly, he took being resurrected surprisingly well. Then I looked around at the depressing old market and frowned. "...This place sucks." I snapped my fingers again. Bright carnival tents burst out of the ground, colorful lights stretched between every rooftop, cheerful music filled the air, and people suddenly appeared everywhere laughing like they'd been here all along. The empty streets became packed with families, children, balloons, games, and food stalls. Bob immediately started delivering pizzas to random people while the clown somehow ended up juggling in the middle of the carnival. Everyone clapped for him. "...Peak."

I bought myself cotton candy, then ice cream, then pizza... then another pizza because, honestly, this was my dream. Calories no longer existed. I spent what felt like hours wandering around the carnival laughing every few minutes because every time I thought of something stupid, it immediately became real. I made dragon-shaped balloons, gave random kids pirate hats, turned one of the fountains into orange soda, and somehow convinced Bob to wear sunglasses. He looked incredible. At one point I even made the clown juggle flaming bowling balls while riding a unicycle, and somehow he actually pulled it off. I don't know who was more talented anymore, him or my subconscious. It honestly felt like I'd been given the keys to reality itself, and I wasn't about to waste them. If I wanted something, it appeared. If I didn't like something, it disappeared. For the first time all night, I wasn't scared anymore.

Eventually the carnival grew quieter. Not because people were leaving, but because I had stopped laughing. Something near the entrance had caught my eye. The old lady was standing there again, looking exactly the same as before. Hollow black eyes. Blood slowly running down her face. She wasn't smiling anymore. She looked... frustrated. Bob walked over beside me carrying another pizza. I pointed toward her. "...I think she's still upset." He nodded, which honestly felt like the correct response. The old lady reached into her pocket. "...Please don't." She threw something at me. I instinctively raised my hands... and a tennis ball bounced straight off my forehead. "...Really?" Before I could even complain, she turned around and ran away. "HEY!" I took one step after her...

...and everything disappeared.

When I opened my eyes, I was standing in the exact same street where I'd tried helping the old lady. The night looked completely normal again. People were still walking around, the shops were still open, and there wasn't a single trace of blood anywhere. No carnival. No clown. No Bob. No giant iron ball. Nothing. I looked around for a while, hoping I'd find at least one sign that any of it had actually happened, but the street was just... a street. "...Strange." Truly. I let out a quiet sigh before turning toward home. My painting was probably still waiting for me, and honestly... after tonight, I'd rather paint than think. Tomorrow I'll tell the boys about this. Akuma will probably spend three hours trying to figure out what the dream meant, Heldon will somehow come up with a scientific explanation for all of it, and Palden... he'll probably laugh so hard he forgets to breathe. I smiled to myself. "...Yeah." That sounds nice.

Goodnight, Palden.