God Eater: Fates Entwined

10 - Homecoming

Kota isn't the sharpest tool in the shed, but he's smart enough to understand that he isn't dead. Yet.

The ungodly amount of pain forcefully crammed into his body is the best testament for that. He knew it wasn't the case, but it felt like an Ouroboros had completely flattened him to the ground using all of its limbs and its massive body. Who knew a fiery eight-kilogram ball of rage could do as much damage as an Aragami the size of a mountain? Getting on the wrong side of C was one thing, receiving the beating of his whole life from her is another, and being completely ignored by Chotte during the entire mess was just a different problem in its own right.

He might really have deserved this.

But it felt weird to not have any regrets. Kota had always placed himself a step behind others, and with his rather laid-back nature, Alisa and Lenka both outshone him in more occasions than one. It felt like the first time he ever stood up for anything he felt was right (excluding the part where they fought against the Director because it was the right thing to do), and it was good. Even if it meant being thrown to Death's door like a trashed ragdoll.

"Are you really this much of an idiot?" A wave of relief washed through him at the sound of the sullen voice. It was hard for him to keep track of time, but he figured it isn't an understatement to claim that he hadn't seen Ánoia for quite a while now. "You should have expected that she will go berserk upon mentioning me to that little one."

He opened his mouth slowly, but it did nothing but rasp his throat even more. Even in this resonance, it was a little hard to speak. "How are you?"

"You're still worried about me?" The Demon sighed in both disbelief and defeat. "Do you even have a grasp of what happened?"

"I, uh... got beaten up badly?" He tried for a laugh, but the muscles in his stomach were in a little too much of pain that he only managed a few chuckles. If anything, the pain felt as though it was burning his whole body instead. "Oh, and Chotte is angry at me."

"Those are the least of your concerns," END told him in reply. It was hard to recognize any emotions from the monstrous face before him, but Kota would indulge himself in the idea that even the slightest concern was present in the other's voice. "You're dying, boy."

"I doubt it's that bad." He gave a shrug, despite the pain in his shoulders and arms. "I mean, it does hurt like hell, but C is weaker than me. Pain aside, I'd even imagine nothing happened."

"She wanted to take me away from you."

"... Why?"

END's primary eye flicked towards his direction. "My presence is lethal for you. Literally. She understood that the only thing that could save you from your own stupidity is to forcefully take me back. Heh, it would mean she'd have to put up with me once again, but I doubt it even matters to her at this point."

"Okay, but why?"

This time, the Demon scowled, but Kota did not so much as flinch. "Are you this dense?" She hissed. "It had always been because of Chotte! It was never for you! She doesn't care about you—only for that girl! Though, of course... she doesn't know the truth."

"What's the truth then?"

"I can't tell you." She snorted. "I won't tell you. You don't even have time for that, idiot."

Kota frowned slightly, but it felt like even the muscles in his face were in pain. "Hey, I tried, okay? I tried my best to help you. I didn't want you or Chotte to suffer... at all."

END gave him a lasting stare, which was quite unnerving considering the intense glow of her primary eye. "I had to stop that little one before you get a serious backlash and perish from the result." Kota simply stared back in question, unsure of where the Demon is leading the exchange. "If she had taken me, there would still be Nova Cells left in you. Those would have consumed, killed, or mutated you into a really nasty Aragami."