(Second person POV)
(Time skip - 1 day)
Wiping away the water that rolled down your face in big fat drops like the tears you were unable to shed, you let out a deep sigh before tossing the towel onto its hanging wrack, leaning over the sink that swirled with an inky black liquid. It was that weird substance that kept dripping from your hands, unable to be stopped no matter what you did. It was like... a mark, a permanent stain on your body that showed you had been tainted by a filth that couldn't be scrubbed off no matter how hard you tried.
With another exhale, you tiredly glanced into the mirror that was glued above the basin, a stranger with bleak, almost dead eyes staring back at you, lips thin with exhaustion. ...I... barely look anything like my old self... you muttered, raising a hand to trace the figure's features, pausing as your index finger hovered over the scar under her right cheekbone, the real final thing your Sensei had left you, one that, even when your trinkets and memories wither away, would remain, marking you and proving his influence on you forever.
Then, a familiar set of words echoed throughout the room, or perhaps just in your head, loud enough to drown out the rushing of the tap and make you grit your teeth, hands clamping over your ears in anguish as you stared down at the person staring back at you in the water, her eyes wide with pain and... fear...
"He's just using you," the Catherine next to you murmured, a silhouette of darkness that had risen from the corners of the dimly lit room, "He doesn't love you... He's just making you his perfect puppet to play around with..."
"...Shut up..." you hiss, nails starting to dig into your scalp as you tried to drown out her words with something — anything.
"You know I'm right..." she whispers, floating to your other side like some sort of jittery film, leaving afterimages trailing behind like an overly attached ghost. "Why else would he just leave like that? Why else would he not tell you where he's going? Why else would he never see you again other than in your head?"
"Shut up!" you snarl, whipping your body around and swiping at your right where the shadow of the lady stood a mere moment ago.
"...Why continue to deny it?" she asked, unaffected by your attack that phased right through her, "Why not admit that you have nothing other than him to live for?"
"I have other stuff to live for!" you snap, just barely containing your anger, "I have Dart-"
"Whom you never take or talk with anymore because she reminds you too much of your time with that man."
"-My allies-"
"Whom you plan to betray as soon as you can to find that man."
"-And-" Cutting yourself off, you swallowed the words you were about to say, making the silhouette finish for you.
"And me whom you insulted and gaslighted and never want to see again. You certainly do seem like you have a lot to live for."
Gritting your teeth, you lowered your hands, clenching them on the sides of the sink as you silently admitted that this version of Catherine was correct. Not only did you push everyone away in your search for your teacher, but you also refuse to create any new connections, justifying it as 'focusing all your energy on searching for him.'
But... if he really was using you, that would mean that you shouldn't be searching for him to be under his control again, right? So... then isn't everything you've been doing for the past year completely pointless? Everything from waking up at four in the morning to creating these... placebo relationships were all to find your teacher and return to the way you were before. If you were to stop trying to look for him, then you would be admitting that you just wasted a whole year, one that you would never be able to get back and even possibly your future.
Not only would you have to come clean to your 'allies' about your true intentions, risking the relationships you had built from the ground up, but also find a new purpose in life other than your teacher. But what in the world could that be? Everything you are, from the clothes on your back to the values he embedded into your being had been given to you by him, so if you were to give up on him... then does anything even have meaning anymore?
Your identity is built upon being his student, so letting him go would mean letting go of this piece of yourself. Sure, you also have the title of 'Defier of Destiny' and the 'Silver Ninja,' whatever that meant, but they were both fake too, no? You were only chosen because you decided to build a fake connection with the Ninjas and their teacher, so once you give up on finding Sensei, that would mean giving up on this connection too as it was only built to benefit your search. That would then mean you wouldn't be known as the Silver Ninja and someone else like Kai would be chosen instead.
So, if you're neither the 'Silver Ninja' nor 'Kusho's only disciple,' then... what are you...? Would life carry any sort of meaning for someone who has nothing and is nothing like you? What difference would living like that and simply not existing be?
Just as you were about to continue your argument with the shadow, a knock on the door made you freeze. Running a hand through your hair to make yourself seem even the slightest less dishevelled and not like you just had an existential crisis mere seconds ago, you cleared your throat before asking, "Who is it?"
"(y/n)?" Nya's voice asked through the door, making you furrow your brow, "Are you... Are you okay?"
"Yeah," you answer, keeping your tone as level as you could in your unstable state, "I'm fine. Why do you ask?"
"Eh," she answers and you could almost feel her shrug from behind the closed door, "I woke up pretty early today and realised you weren't underneath me-"
Clearing her throat as soon as she realised what she had said, the girl stuttered, "N-not like that! J-just like how we sleep in bunk beds and, uh, y-y'know, the bunk under mine! I-I'd never want to have someone like you underneath me — un-unlessyou'refinewiththat — but I'd never!" After a moment of awkward laughter and an aura deep navy-blue with regret almost as soon as the words left her mouth, she coughed again, as if trying to erase them. "A-anyways, I saw the bathroom light on and came to check since you're in there a lot of the mornings."
"Ah, did Zane tell you?" you ask with a dry smile, wondering if you could consider this a betrayal.
"He was a little worried about you," the other answered, streams of her water-like aura that was azure with worry and honesty glowing through the gap between the door and its frame.
"I see..." you murmur, running your hands down your face once more before deeming yourself presentable enough and walking out of the bathroom. "I'm alright," you assure her, looking at her with your usual neutral expression. Pausing for a moment, you asked, "What time is it now and when did you get up?"
"It was... five-thirty when I got up a few moments ago," Nya replied, a finger on her chin as she thought, "I thought I might get up earlier today, y'know?"
Nodding, you silently muttered in your head, Liar..., sure that she was thinking the same as the two of you headed toward the kitchen.
"By the way..." she murmured, looking away with a flushed face as she fiddles with a lock of her hair, "Do you... remember the promise we made?"
...What...? you thought in confusion, keeping your face completely devoid of all emotion as you said nothing, trying to recall if you had said sworn anything to the girl.
The 'going-out' you had agreed to her a few months ago? Koun sighed, crossing her arms as she looked at you, unimpressed with your reaction.
...I thought she was joking...? you murmured back as the spirit sighed and shook her head in disbelief.
"I-it's fine if you don't remember," Nya awkwardly grins, trying to assure you that it was fine even though her aura clearly showed that she was hurt by your response — or lack thereof.
"About the two of us going out someday, right?" you asked, thanking your ghostly companion with all your heart.
"Y-yeah!" the other beamed, brightening up subtly, "I was thinking... how about we go to an amusement park together? It wouldn't matter too much if we let this date- I mean, day be about you and having some fun, right?"
...We still need to locate the last Fangblade so that we can turn our attention to locating my teacher... you mumbled, rubbing your nape in thought, But... I can't prove Catherine wrong if I only devote myself to Sensei...
"I... suppose it can't hurt to do a little rest and recovery," you murmured, earning a bright grin from the female who was beyond excited and was silently cheering about the date the two of you were about to go on. I'm sure I could find some clue to my teacher's- the Fangblade's location... you decided as you pulled out a piece of paper and a pen, writing down that the two of you were going to go to look for clues to the last Fangblade.
(Time skip - 20 minutes)
Sitting in the passenger seat of Samurai X's mecha suit that extended out of its left, you let out a soft sigh, wondering why your companion insisted on flying there when you could teleport the two of you to the amusement park.
It's 'cause she wants to do something nice for you, stupid, Koun huffs, rolling her eyes, She wants to let you let her do things for you instead of it always being the other way around.
But I do? you reply, more confused than before, I let her do whatever she wants since it doesn't involve me.
Yeah, but you're always insisting on protecting them and whatever, the ghost responds, dismissing your answer with a wave of her hand, She wants you to take it easy today and that includes your power usage too.
Still not completely understanding, you were just about to ask another question when the sound of metal clashing made you stiffen, eyes darting around in alarm as your powers instinctively gathered at your fingertips, ready to lash out at whatever threat that may appear.
Realising it was just the exoskeleton made of ore coming into contact with the ground, you let go of the breath you didn't realise you were holding, running a hand through your hair. Calm down, you muttered to yourself, You're getting paranoid... It was just an illusion that you saw this morning, not the real Catherine... She... She wouldn't...
Swallowing the words you were about to say, you heaved another breath, reminding yourself that this day was about spending time with Nya and hopefully finding something that could serve as your new purpose in life.
"Here, (y/n)," the girl piped up, causing you to snap out of your thoughts, eyes glancing over to see her extending a hand toward you, face slightly red as she seemingly offered to help you down.
"I'm fine," you answer, hopping off the seat without a second thought, not noticing Koun's stare of disbelief and your human companion's slightly hurt look. Catching sight of the hill the suit was parked behind, you asked, "Do you wish for me to hide it? I can use my light element to make it invisible."
With a proud beam, the other replied, "No need! I've built a function in the suit just for y- I mean, this!" Face more flushed than before, she adverted her gaze, pressing the ruby on her bracelet. Accompanied by the sound of metal on metal, the once towering robotic suit transformed into... an odd-looking box on wheels...?
It's called a car, the ghost hovering next to you sighed, dying of exasperation already and the day was barely beginning, How do you not know what they are? You've seen them in the city a ton of times!
I suppose I just never asked, you answered, catching sight of Nya's beckoning.
"So... Anywhere you wanna go?" your ally asked, making you shrug.
"I'm not very familiar with amusement parks," you answer, "Sure, we came here a few weeks ago, but that was to deal with the Serpentine and not so much for the rides."
"Wait, Jay didn't take you anywhere special?" the female inquired, eyes wide with surprise... and a slight opportunistic glint.
"We did go to a restaurant," you reply, nodding to the mini pagoda-like building in the distance, "And that one ride over there, of course."
"Ah, right," the other mumbles, "The one where we were chained down to..."
Humming in response, you paused for a moment, realising that you never really apologised for what happened that day. "...I'm sorry," you murmur, catching her off guard if her surprised expression and her arctic-blue aura.
"For what?"
"That day. I believe I attacked you."
"Ohhh, that," Nya sighs before flashing you a bright grin, "Don't worry about it. I know you didn't mean to hurt me and wreck my samurai suit. Besides, it's not your fault. It was Pythor and Skales' who made you do it, right?"
"...Yeah..." you mutter, trailing off as you find yourself reliving that moment, staring down at your hands that you remember vividly clawing at a dark blob that you now knew was your teammate's hard work. It was an oddly... out-of-body experience as if your actions weren't your own and similarly, the repercussions weren't either.
But they were.
You can still see Nya's look of complete panic and desperation as she tried to wrench you out of the mind control, her gaze of icy cold fear that she cast upon you while the rest of the world faded into strings of darkness that you didn't even register... or perhaps you didn't want to register. Perhaps that was why you didn't try to fight back as much as you hoped — wished that you did. Perhaps... you actually enjoyed that animalistic, almost predatory act you had all but committed...?
"Hey, (y/n), you good?" the girl's voice asked, bringing you out of your mind with a silent gasp.
Glancing over at her, for a moment you saw that same, fearful expression she had on that day before it fizzed away as quickly as it had come. In its place was her curious look, one filled with concern and... trust...
One that is surely misplaced, you muttered in your head, unable to understand why she was worried, much less trusting you. Why would she — or anyone else, for that matter — trust you? You, who didn't even do the bare minimum of reciprocating those feelings? You, who almost caused their demise with your own hands. You, who wants no one other than ₥łⱧ?
"...Yeah," you mumble, the words more like a heave of breathlessness than a string of comprehensible words, "...Yeah, I'm fine..."
"...Are you sure?" Nya asked, raising an eyebrow, "You... seem a little pale." Swallowing the lump in her throat, she blurted uncharacteristically loudly, "If- If you don't want to come here, then you should tell me and we could go somewhere else to spend some time together! Like the park and have a picnic or a karaoke bar or-" Pausing for a moment, she murmured, "Of course... if you don't want to hang out with me... then... then that's fine too. We can just go back-"
"No, no, it's fine," you cut in, mustering a smile that seemed more tired than anything, "I was just... lost in thought, that's all. I don't mind being with you, really."
Either not realising or ignoring the tiredness in your eyes, she grinned, pulling you behind her as she almost sang, "Well, that's great 'cause~" Dragging you to the first ride, a Ferris Wheel that towered over the crowds, she smirked, "We're gonna go on every ride here in Mega Monster Amusement Park!" Before you could ask about the price, she piped up, "I've already paid for everything so no need to worry about it and no need to pay me back since I invited you out, alright? Just think of it as my treat."
Nodding, you let out a soft sigh, trying to dispel the various questions and worries in your mind, reiterating to yourself that even if you feel like dying, you at least shouldn't ruin it for you Nya, especially since she paid for the tickets. With that, the two of you sat in a carriage opposite each other as silence fell over the two of you, you watching the scenery outside the window and her watching you.
...Is there something wrong...? you muttered to yourself in confusion, wondering why she was so focused on you, Perhaps she... knows...?
"Hey, (y/n)..." the female piped up, causing you to momentarily divert your gaze from the sight of the city falling away below you in the glass cabin to her, "...You know you can tell us if there's something wrong, right?"
Pausing for a moment, you ask, "What prompted this?", your tone a little colder than you'd like it to be.
"...You seem pretty stressed and out of it recently," she answered, tucking a strand of her ebony hair behind her ear as she adverted her gaze to the window on her side, "I hate to be emotional and all, but... did... something happen when you went out?"
"...No," you reply, leaning against the back of your hand, resting your elbow on the window sill.
"...Really?" she murmured, brow furrowed as she seemed to scrutinise you, picking you apart and trying to find whether you had lied or told the truth.
"Really," you answer firmly, looking her in the eyes to emphasise your point. ...She doesn't need to know... you mutter in your head, keeping the almost sickeningly sweet smile on your face, one that you wished that you could throw away. But that would mean letting others in and allowing them to see how much more of a wreck, of a disgusting being you are.
Perhaps Catherine was right? Was there really a lapse in your judgement when you decided to trust Kusho? Or maybe you had just placed your eggs in a single basket that had just disappeared? But then... what does that make the past year? What does that make your future? What does that make... you...? Someone who has no more aspirations, no more hopes and no more goals to work towards. Wouldn't you be little more than an empty husk, a hollow shell that needs not to exist?
Who... What are you?
Opening her mouth, the girl stood up suddenly, making you raise an eyebrow as you saw her aura of water-like waves explode with red-hot anger and ocean-blue upset. Before she could get a word out, the carriage suddenly lurched, throwing her forward toward the wall of glass behind you that acted as a paper-thin barrier between this confined space and the indecipherable large drop.
Shielding herself with her arms, you saw Nya's eyes widen with fear as she braced herself for the pain that was surely going to follow. You, on the other hand, were seemingly taken aback by the look she held, staring at her as the world moved in slow motion. Fear. It was a similar look she had given to you that day when you had almost animalistically torn apart her samurai suit, a raw and powerful terror that seemed to imprint itself in your mind like a burning light. And, for a moment, you could have sworn you saw-
Without realising what had happened, you almost instinctively hooked her by the arm and spun her toward where you sat the way Cole in that waltz you two performed for his father. Eventually, the female with a bob cut pretty much fell onto your lap, trying to stop her world from spinning while you heaved a soft sigh, resting your temple on your knuckles.
"Be a little careful, will you?" you mutter, causing her to turn red when she realised what just happened, making you slightly confused as to why she was still angry when you just saved her from falling to her death. Equally clueless to the exasperated glare Koun shot at you, presumably for coming to the wrong conclusion again, you continued, "It can be rather dangerous up here."
"(y-(y/n)..." the other spluttered, the tips of her ears burning a bright cherry-red as steam seemed to radiate off her head as she clenched her fists around the cloth of her pants. "Why... Why do you keep everything inside?"
Surprised by the girl's words, you simply stared at her with hesitancy, unsure of how to answer. "...Not always," you answer truthfully. Well, not always. You did open up to...
"Well why not talk to us?" the female murmured, turning around to face you, placing her hands beside your head, her arms acting like some sort of cage, preventing you from running away or avoiding the question. Eyes oddly unusually soft with desperation and anger, she blurted, "Is it because you can't trust us?! Is it because you don't think we can help or keep your secret?! Or... is it because you're going to leave us...?"
Saying nothing, you looked into her eyes, trying to understand her motives. Was she trying to convince you to stay? What for? Was it because she wanted to use you like she, and even possibly your teacher did? Or... was this her way of trying to connect with you? Why?
With a sigh, you thought about your response before deciding to respond honestly. "I... don't know myself," you murmured, looking out the window again. "I guess... I just don't like talking about my problems... I can't understand them and how others comprehend them so I just prefer to bottle things up."
Besides, you thought to yourself, distracting yourself with the clouds that were painted a butterscotch-yellow by the sunrise, Emotions aren't important anyway... They'll get in the way of everything and anything I do, becoming chains that will hold me back when everyone eventually and inevitably turns on me... Besides... other people have loads of their own problems and... I can't just dump all of mine on them, no matter how much they say it'll be fine...
"...I can understand that," Nya murmured, cutting through the silence that had taken over the two of you again, "I... also don't really like to talk about what I feel. But, whenever I have something on my mind, I'd still try to talk it out with other people like Master Wu and even Kai! He might seem dumb and really annoying, which he is, bu-t, he's also good at giving advice! Not just ways to solve the problem that's making me upset, but also how to deal with those feelings."
Pausing for a moment, she glances at you, a gentle smile making its way onto her face, "And... I want to be able to help you do that. I don't want you to suffer alone thinking that there's no way out of your troubles."
Saying nothing in return, you think over her words, wondering whether you should just tell her everything to get this out of the way. If you keep dodging her questions, she'll just get more agitated and repeatedly confront you about this. If you do tell her, at worst, she'll be slightly doubtful but may drop the subject, reassuring you with another assortment of empty words that you've most certainly heard before.
Oh, gods, you're so damn stupid! Koun snapped suddenly, causing you to glance in her direction, finding the annoyance written on her face. Listen, (y/n), at this point, it's not even about the emotional burden and whatnot anymore! You're only serving others and not letting others serve you, which is just twisting a way of showing affection. It's not about helping people anymore, it's self-righteousness! It's a sort of superiority and pride, not about showing appreciation!
...Pride...? you mutter in confusion, How so?
With a pissed-off click of her tongue, the spirit sighed, Okay, fine, look at it this way: your friends — or 'allies' as you like to call them — are trying to help you, but you're refusing to let them. Instead, you just focus on helping them and not letting them do anything in return. It could feel like you're saying that they can't help you and can only receive it from you like they're lower and weaker than you, okay?
Thinking on it for a moment, you decided that though it wasn't your intention to belittle your teammates, Koun might actually have a point in saying that...
...I suppose you're right, you murmur, causing the apparition to huff.
'Course I am, she hums, crossing her arms over her chest as she nods to Nya, Well go on then. Spit it out.
Chalking it up to another 'expression,' you clear your throat, deciding to drop the overly saccharine smile you always have on to please your allies, you finally respond, "I think I understand now." Hearing this, the human's eyes brightened, still pinning you to your seat as you continued, "I... guess I should tell you guys my problems sometimes..."
With a smile of relief, your companion beams, "Thank you, (y/n)."
"...Could you get off now? You're too close," you remark, causing her to immediately leap up, face turning as red as her top is.
"Y-yeah! S-sorry," she laughs awkwardly, rubbing the back of her neck as she takes her seat opposite you, no longer able to look at you.
Turning to the window again, you found the carriage slowly approaching the ground, your mind still clouded by Koun's words and your thoughts.
...Did I make the right decision? you wondered as you absent-mindedly followed Nya out of the capsule, about to head back to the discarded mecha suit when she grabbed your hand, making you flinch involuntarily, something she either didn't notice or ignored.
"Hey, where're you going?" she asked before giving you a grin, "You're not getting tired already, are you? We've still got the whole amusement park to go through!"
Oh, I forgot that I had agreed, you mumbled in your head, causing Koun to run a hand down her face in exasperation. "Which one are we going on next?" you ask, removing your limb from her grip as you didn't want your stiffness to make her upset.
With a hum of consideration, the girl answered, "How about... that one?" As soon as the words left her mouth, she began heading toward the roller coaster in the distance, beckoning you to follow her.
(Time skip - 2 hours)
"And there's just one more!" Nya remarked as you nibbled on the flamingo-pink cotton candy she just bought for you, noticing how she didn't get one for herself.
"Do you want some?" you ask, offering yours to her as she was the one who insisted on getting it for you so it's only natural that you should share it with her.
Eyeing the part you had just taken a bite out of, the female turned the same colour as the candy, hands slightly trembling without her knowledge. "I- I-" she stutters, cursing her shaky voice, "I- don't think that would be a good idea!"
"How so?" you inquire, genuinely confused at her reaction and her words, chalking the former up to exertion, "It's just candy, not poison." Seeing her eyes lower at your words, you cleared your throat, realising you must have hurt her. "Sorry, that... wasn't my intention... Do you still want some?"
Giving you a grateful smile, the other answered, "No no, you're right. I was... getting carried away." Glancing at the candy, she tucked a loose strand of her hair behind her ear before leaning forward and taking a bite, her face still flushed. "T-thanks," she murmured through a mouthful of sweets, adverting her eyes.
"I should be the one saying that," you reply, continuing to consume the cloud-like treat, unaware of Nya's racing thoughts and deepening blush as she caught sight of you eating the part she just had.
"Should we go to the last ride?" you ask, startling the girl and bringing her out of her thoughts of the indirect kiss the two of you unwittingly shared.
"Y-yeah!" she uttered with an almost forced laugh, gently taking your hand and leading you toward the final roller coaster which was-
Stopping in her tracks as soon as she caught sight of the bold pink letters that hung at the entrance of the ride, the female nervously murmured, "(y-(y/n)... I don't think this is a good idea..."
...Again? you muttered in confusion before wondering aloud, "How so?"
"It's a love tunnel!" she blurted, face redder than ever (if that was even possible), "for lovers!"
"And?" you pressed, "I don't see what the problem is. Kusho Sensei told me that there is love in every relationship, including a friendship." Even if it's counterfeit.
"Nononono!" the other gulped, feeling oddly warm, "You don't understand! It's for girlfriends and boyfriends!"
"...Aren't you my girl friend...?" you murmured, raising an eyebrow while Koun facepalmed and groaned audibly in the background.
Stunned to her core, Nya found herself unable to further protest, frozen from shock and embarrassment. Taking the opportunity, you took her by the arm and began dragging her toward the surprisingly little line, remarking, "Didn't you want to go on every ride? This ought to count too." Besides, I don't want you to have any regrets ₩ⱧɆ₦ ł ⱠɆ₳VɆ-
"A carriage for two?" the lady at the register beamed, giving you a knowing smile.
"Yes please," you answer as a swan-like boat pulled into the 'dock,' a dishevelled couple stumbles out, carrying a musty scent with them.
"Ah, just in time," the woman you were talking to grinned as she pulled out a spray bottle and tissues, quickly giving the interior of the vessel a quick wipe-down. Once she was done, she gestured for you and Nya to get in before whispering in your ear, "These tunnels are sound-proof, so feel free to be as loud as you like~ Just remember not to make too much of a mess, alright?"
Straightening up again, she gave you another foxy smile before almost singing, "Have a good time~"
...Is this supposed to be scary? you wondered, trying to pick apart the female's words as you sat inside the boat that bobbed on the man-made river. Is that why the two people from before seemed so bedraggled?
Yeah, of course you wouldn't understand, Koun sighed, rolling her eyes, Just so you know, they were probably dancing the Devil's Tango or some shit. These people can't be subtle at all. Bro even had his fly half unzipped!
Glancing around the boat, you murmured, It seems too small for them to stand in here, much less dance.
No longer bothered to reply, the ghost simply groaned, managing to do a whole body eye-roll before your attention was taken away from her. Finding yourself enveloped in darkness, you glanced over at your human companion who seemed nervous, contrasting your unaffected figure as one, you could see in the dark and can feel everything in it due to your shadow element, and two, you didn't mind the darkness.
Listening to the tranquil trick of the water that rippled by in man-made waves, you closed your eyes, finding yourself able to hear the chittering of a couple some distance ahead. The soft whispering of the river calmed you down, soothing your spirit while the murmuring of people tied you down to reality, clipping your wings before you could fly into your thoughts and never come back.
Suddenly, you felt your ally move in the darkness, causing your eyes to fly open and glance in her direction.
"...Are you alright?" you asked, your voice barely audible over the sound of sloshing water, startling Nya.
"Y-yeah!" she answered, voice slightly wavering as her hand hovered a hairs width above yours as if she were contemplating whether or not to hold your hand, "I'm... just a little tense 'cause... I'm on this ride with you..."
...I scare her? you wondered, unable to find what makes you scary to others. Was it because you're not human? Or because you don't feel emotions like everyone else? Or was it because you're not scared? You couldn't tell.
Noticing a light approaching from ahead, you closed your eyes, activating your Shadow Mimicry ability and merging with the dark, taking in information from it as if it were just another extension of your body. The strange light turning out to be, well, light, you disabled your power, taking your position next to your ally once again, the girl seeming rather tense even when you weren't there.
...Perhaps it's because of some other reason that she's so nervous? you murmured while Koun groaned.
Yeah, no shit, Sherlock, she huffed with her arms crossed over her chest, seeming incredibly annoyed.
...My name isn't Sherlock... is it?
...Y'know what, fuck it, the other groaned, giving up on trying to explain any of this to you.
Deciding to research this 'Sherlock' person yourself since your ghostly companion won't tell you, you put the thought to the back of your mind as you heard Nya speak.
"S-so, (y/n)," she mumbled, tucking a loose strand of her hair behind her ear as she adverted her eyes away from you, "What do you want to do after we finish this Tunnel of L-Love?"
Giving her a hum in response, you stared up at the musty grey, almost suffocatingly low ceiling of the passage before answering, "Probably confess."
"C-CONFESS?!" the female choked, face as red as the exit signs in the underpass and almost as bright in the darkness that did nothing to disguise her flustered figure.
"Yeah," you reply, "You wanted me to confess my troubles, right? That's the whole reason why you invited me out, no?"
Her disappointment turning uncharacteristically noticeable at your words, she murmured, "R-right..."
...Was that not what she wanted...? you wondered while the spirit following you groaned again. Just as you were about to ask what was bothering her, the once peaceful river turned strangely turbulent, tossing the swan boat to the right, and causing your companion to fall on top of you.
Barely managing to stop herself from crashing into you mouth first, Nya found herself pinning you against the wall of the vessel just as you two passed a set of bright lights, illuminating her flushed face and your contrastingly unaffected one. Staring into your (e/c) eyes that seemed to gleam like glossy, glowing gems even under the limited light, she found herself enraptured by them — by you.
Turning her attention to your face, she found herself imprinting every single detail of yours into her memory as if it were her own name. Hell, it might be even more important than that. Each flicker of your eyelash and each speck of light that seem to dance off of them, each imperfection that only made you seem more perfect in her eyes... none of them escaped her gaze.
Nya seems to faintly register her name forming on your lips but was far too entranced by its colour, its plushness to fully absorb the information. It wasn't just those parts of you she found completely and utterly captivating, it was also each delicate expression, each movement you made that only added to your appeal.
Despite the tinge of worry on your face, the girl still found it to be the most delicate, most enthralling thing she has ever seen. Hell, had she not known you to not be the type, she would have accused you of using your powers to bewitch her, to wrap her not just around your finger, but also around your soul.
Moving her gaze back up, the female meets your capturing eyes, the small part of her brain that hadn't been swept away by your mere presence realising far too late that she was supposed to have replied by now. Resisting the urge to pretend that she didn't hear you just to have her name fall from your lips again, she almost sighs, "Yes?"
"...The ride's over," you remind her, "I believe you should step back so we may disembark." As soon as your words sank in, Nya leapt back in surprise, face turning a few more shades red.
Uttering out a squeaky, "Sorry!", the girl practically flies off the swan boat, the sight of the lady at the register's knowing look making her all the more flustered. "W-we should head back now! The others must be looking for us!" the samurai laughs awkwardly, barely able to glance in your direction.
"Right," you answer her, unaware of her plight and too busy imprinting the ride into your memory, hoping to be able to learn more about it and record it in your notebook. With a soft sigh, you looked up at the morning sky, the fluffy clouds doing nothing to ease your discomfort as your thoughts drifted to the promise you made to Nya mere hours ago.
...Guess I'm going to have to spill everything... you mutter, following your ally to her vehicle, ...How... troublesome...
Author's notes:
Thank you for reading! This chapter was 6146 words long and I hope you liked it! Sorry for the large chunk of description about Nya's feelings for the reader but, spoiler alert, I'll be writing similarly detailed paragraphs for the other love interests (including Lloyd, just more platonic for now since he's a child).
Also, sorry for the slow updates. I've been rather busy these past weeks 🥲but I'll try my best to publish as often as possible. Thank you once again for reading, and now onto the memes!
Memes:
It's kabedon (壁ドン or かべどん (ka-be-don)) time~
(ft. Cole, Jay, Kai, Nya and Zane (Lloyd is too young))
Edited by me :)
Incorrect quotes:
*Nya route*
Jay: *Blushing* So... what do you like about me?
You: Your girlfriend.
Second:
Wu: I need someone responsible to go on this mission with Jay.
You: I'll go. I'm pretty responsible. I even prevented a murder today when I went on a walk with Kai.
Wu: Really? How so?
You: Self-control.
Third:
You: You know, when we first met, I thought you were dumb and annoying.
Kai: *Grinning in anticipation* Aaand~?
You: I was completely right.
Fourth:
Zane: Let's do some riddles to exercise our brains. *Clears throat* The first one: What gets harder when you're in love?
Kai, Jay and Cole: Your dick.
Koun: What they said.
Nya: It's solitude, Dumbass!
Fifth:
Nya: *Trying to drop you hints* Wow, you're so smart, (y/n). Talk more about abstract concepts that I'm usually not that interested in. I'll listen :) Tell me about your problems even though I don't usually like to deal with other people's emotional baggage! I W I L L listen to you for hours on end. Oh, Jay got to spend more time with you? I'm so jealous! I L O V E Y O U !
You: *To everyone* Yes, Nya is my acquaintance.
Koun:
Sixth:
*If Koun was visible and could interact with the world*
Lloyd: *Pointing to a chicken schnitzel* Look! This one's like a heart! That's how I feel about you, Big Sister (y/n)!
You: *Slightly smiles* Thank you.
Lloyd: *Pointing to a different chicken schnitzel* Look! This one's like an angry face! That's how I feel about you, Dart.
Dart: This is why Mama likes me more.
Lloyd: *Ignores Dart* And this one's like Ninjago City! That's how I feel about you, Big Sister Koun!
Koun: What does that even mean???
Seventh and last:
*If Koun was visible*
Koun: Hey, can I buy this BS5 for five dollars?
Zane (is the cashier):
Zane: No, Ms, you must pay the full price.
Koun: *Winks at you* Shh, don't worry, he doesn't know I know this little life hack that allows me to get anything for free.
Koun: *Turns back to Zane and clears her throat* I've got a gun-
That's all for this chapter. I hope you enjoyed it and yes, the 'B' in 'BS5' was intentional. I don't want to risk getting copyright struck and it's also a fun little guessing game for you guys. It's pretty obvious what it is but I still think it's pretty fun to give it a guess lol.
Anyways, I'll see you guys in the next chapter :D