MARI: "... W-What?"
She was in pure disbelief, hearing everything this figure said but not understanding anything. Even still, she kept SUNNY behind her as this thing calling itself... DEATH was looking at them.
SUNNY was more confused that MARI was, not just because supposedly DEATH itself was right in front of them... but because when he was here before... it wasn't. So he clung to MARI's arm as she swallowed and stammered her words.
MARI: "W-Wait wait... I-I must still be asleep... Yeah, this is just s-some kind of nightmare or... or a weird dream! There's no way that this can be happening." She chuckled nervously, hoping that all she was saying would be true. "I'll just...wake up a-and we'll both be okay!"
After she said this, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath, holding it as she tried to wake herself up. After she let out her breath, she opened her eyes, hoping everything would turn back to normal...
DEATH: "Mmmmmm- Nope, sorry. Still here, sadly." It said as it was right in front of her face, kneeling a bit to reach her height level.
MARI screamed and walked back, tripping onto the ORCHIDS as her pale eyes stared at DEATH. SUNNY quickly turned and kneeled down to her laying on the ground.
DEATH: "So sorry, but I am not one of your nightmares, MARI SUZUKI. I am quite real. And, quite ready to right a wrong with your brother. So!" The sound of a clap was heard despite no arms being see on it. "SUNNY SUZUKI, if you will please come with me please, for I must take you over now."
A long, black arm emerged from its size, a hand forming and holding out towards SUNNY. He looked at it and backed away slightly, holding onto MARI's arm.
SUNNY: "Wh-What? Wait, why would I..." He was confused by everything happening at once, wondering how and why-
Until he realized something... He DID die. He WAS supposed to pass on after what he did in HIS world. In any and every sense, he should be dead... But thanks to OTHER SUNNY... he survived.
(Right... I... I stole his life. He was supposed to live, but...)
It was like time stopped... He looked to DEATH and began thinking about how, if this actually was DEATH, and he was telling him to pass on... but MARI...
As soon as she came into mind, before he could turn to her, he saw something appear behind DEATH... it
was her.
He saw her holding out her hand out to him again, silently calling out to him and drawing him closer to her with her extended hand.
His eyes went dull, staring at "MARI" while she was staring directly at him, speaking clearly as time continued to just stand still for him. Even with this new chance at life, she still showed up to him. Reminding him of the sins of his previous life, not letting him forget it even in this new world just by existing. And then... she spoke.
"MARI": "Not only did you kill me, kill your own SISTER... but you steal am innocent boys life from him too?" She raised her head up, looking down on him as her single, massive eye trembled in place. "How did I ever end up... with such a horrible little brother like you?"
Those words cut him... deep. Hearing his sister, HIS sister say that to him, and knowing deep down that she was right... It broke him. He wasn't even aware of it, but he was already stepping forward, slowly raising his hand out to her. She opened her hand more to him, darkness slowly spreading from her as RED HANDS began to slither towards him.
They began slowly grabbing his hand, going up his arm and pulling him towards her more and more, SUNNY slowly taking a step forward as he heard her talk once more.
MARI": "Don't you love me... little brother? Won't you make your big sister happy... and just-"
Abruptly, her eye dilated fist clenching as the RED HANDS vanished within a second. SUNNY was brought back to his senses, feeling a hand grab his arm and pull him back... it was MARI. Not this... CYCLOPS MARI, but his big sister.
MARI: "N-No!" She said pulling him closely, hugging him tightly and refusing to let go. "P-Please, wait!"
SUNNY didn't realize it, but while he was talking with CYCLOPS MARI, DEATH was still talking to him, but he was so deep in a trance that he didn't even realize it.
DEATH: "Oh- There he is! My my, you've got quite the imagination on you, young man! It's quite impressive honestly. But, as I've said, I must take your brother now, MARI SUZUKI, he was supposed to come with me some time ago, and-"
MARI: "And I told you to wait!!" She shouted back to him abruptly.
DEATH: "Oh my." It said in a mildly surprised tone.
MARI realized how loud she was and cleared her throat, hugging SUNNY tightly as she spoke in a more appropriate tone. "I-If... If you really are... DEATH, then... Why? Why do you want to take him?!"
She hugged him tightly, refusing to let go, her voice sounding less desperate and more sincere as she looked into his eye. "He... He just woke up. After so long, he- sniffle H-He's finally back." She began welling up with tears. "I can't... lose you again..."
She hugged him tightly, lightly sobbing into his shoulder and snapping him out of the trance he was in. The thoughts of all OTHER SUNNY said to him and the promise he made for MARI in the HOSPITAL. All these thoughts swelled inside him and, without thinking, he wrapped his arms around her tightly, a sigh of relief heard as MARI felt him embrace her.
She turned to DEATH and wiped her eyes before speaking up. "Please, don't take him, don't take my brother! He doesn't want to go, h-he hasn't even seen the others yet, our MOM hasnt seen him either! He j-just got his life back!"
DEATH turned to SUNNY as he wiped his eye. "Mmmmmm, I am sorry to day, MARI SUZUKI, but ultimately it is not up to you or me, but to him. I cannot take him forcefully, that would simply be evil." It looked around the ENDLESS FIELD. "And under normal circumstances, I would let him wander this FIELD until he decided on what to do, but he broken a very ironclad rule."
It walked towards them, making MARI hold her brother closer and behind her as DEATH kneeled down, looking at SUNNY.
DEATH: "He has gone back to his body and regained his life after passing on! Honestly, I'm not even quite sure how he's done it, but as DEATH itself, I must correct this and lead your brother to the other side." It straightened itself, standing tall above them. "And it is His responsibility to correct this wrongdoing, effective immediately!"
MARI gulped nervously, trying to think of what to say after hearing such a fact. "He... H-He died? SUNNY... did you... really died?" She turned to him, horrified and confused.
SUNNY looked away from her, seeing how distraught she was learning this. And... both him and his OTHER self DID die... So he slowly nodded, looking hurt as he replied to her.
SUNNY: "Y.... Yeah... Yeah I did..."
MARI covered her mouth and gasped, completely taken aback by this, eyes gone pale while looking at him. "Oh God..."
It took her a full minute, processing it She closed her eyes and took a deep breath and simply hugged him in a loving embrace, breath shuttering as she hugged him.
MARI: "I'm... So happy you came back, SUNNY. A-And I'm so sorry you had to go through that alone..." She stepped back and looked him in the eye, gently caressing his bandaged eye, sniffling. "But... I promise, I'll take care of you from now on, okay? I won't leave your side until you're okay again, okay? You won't be alone anymore... I promise."
SUNNY didn't know what to say, not expecting her to say any of that. Even after all this time, after what just happened to them this morning alone in her dream, and now this... she still loved him THIS much...
He didn't deserve her.
After everything he did, and everything he put her through even in this world, she still loved him....
He couldn't stop the tears from falling down his cheek, his eye watering ad he whimpered and sobbed, rubbing it and crying as he clenched his chest with his other hand.
MARI smiled gently and hugged him, rubbing his back as he sobbed, sniffling and gently smiling as he clung to the back of her shirt. Teeth grit and unable to let the emotions he'd kept at bay, pushing them away for years and finally letting them loose to her.
They stayed like this for what felt like forever, embracing one another in a love that was unrivaled. DEATH stood there, letting them have their moment together uninterrupted, waiting until they were finished and turned back to it.
MARI sniffled, brushing SUNNY's bangs out of his eye and kissed his head. Looking more determined, she turned to DEATH and stepped in front of her brother.
"Please... Don't take him. Somehow, he... he was able to come back. I've waited so long for this day, a-and I can't... I won't lose him again."
DEATH looked down to her, it's body and face unchanging before it sighed. "Its truly amazing how deeply you love your brother, truly it is... But I'm sorry MARI SUZUKI. Your brother must come with me to the other side. He broke the rules, and I cannot change it for just anyone, especially someone who-"
As it looked to SUNNY, it stopped talking, looking at him thoroughly as if it were studying him. ".... Wait...." It came closer, turning its head while inspecting SUNNY. "Now that I'm getting a better look... You... ARE SUNNY SUZUKI... aren't you?" The siblings looked at each other, confused as SUNNY slowly nodded his head.
DEATH kept examining him, tilting its head and looking over his body, determining if what he was saying was true. "Yes.... Yes, you are in fact SUNNY SUZUKI.... but.... you're also...."
It stood up straight, it's face unresponsive but a feeling of surprise shown as it leaned its head back. SUNNY and MARI looked at each other confused, holding each other close as DEATH was in disbelief.
DEATH: "This has.... never happened before...." He looked down to the ground, still deep in thought as it finally realized the truth about this SUNNY. "In all my years.... How interesting..." It sounded so bewildered, taking a second to regain itself before it finally stood tall, taking a deep breath and the sound of a clap heard once more. "Well... It seems that I have misjudged the situation."
It turned its head to the siblings, making them wince lightly.
DEATH: "SUNNY SUZUKI... It seems I will not be guiding you to the other side, my boy."
MARI: "Please, sir, he- .... W-Wait, what?"
DEATH: "Due to some... let us say, unforseen circumstance, I will not be taking brother, MARI SUZUKI. I whole heartedly apologize for this little conundrum thats happened.... technically I do not have a heart, but my sentiment still stands!"
MARI exhales with shaken breath, taking a step back in relief and shock, a smile slowly forming on her face as she looked to SUNNY. "You... You'll be okay... You'll be okay, SUNNY!" She quickly wrapped her arms around him and laughing between her sniffling. SUNNY himself was just as surprised as she was, but quickly hugged her back as a smile slowly began forming for him. "Thank God..."
They held one another tightly, MARI's tears slowly dropping onto SUNNY's Hospital Gown, remaining that way for a few seconds as she kept muttering "Thank God" under her breath. As they both finally stopped and looked one another in the eyes, DEATH with his head tilted to the side kneeled down towards them at their side.
DEATH: "Welllll technically you should be thanking me, but I suppose I shall give him the credit for now if it makes you happy."
MARI looked to it and chuckled lightly, wiping her eyes as she looked to it with a faint smile. "Yeah... Thank you, so much. Sniffle I-I don't know what else to say for this but Thank You! I-I didn't think- Well, I hoped that you would-" She stopped herself, looking confused as she wiped her eyes again and sniffled. "Wait... What was the "unforseen circumstance" you mentioned then?"
DEATH stood up straight and thought for a moment. "Hmmmmm... Let us just say that I have mixed things up. Countless years working on the job might do that to someone, you know?"
MARI thought for a second on what it said, wondering if it was a good thing DEATH itself could mess up like that. "Uhh... A-Alright. Well, uh- If it means we're going to be okay, then I'll believe that, heh." She laughed nervously, not wanting to insult it. "Are, uh... ARE we going to be okay? MR. DEATH, sir?"
It gave a sincere chuckle at her question. "MR. DEATH... I quite like that." He turned to her "Thank you for the formalities, little missy. As for your question...." He looked off into the ENDLESS FIELD, pondering for a second. "... While I will be sending SUNNY SUZUKI back, normally I would have to take you since you did technically die, or at the very least close to it."
"What?" She was confused at what he meant, but then remembered her dream. HELLSUNNY, it... it killed them both. Snapped his neck and strangled the life out of her. Her eyes went pale as she held her neck as her breathing got heavy for a moment. "S-So I... I really did die... W-Wait! That was my dream? I-If you're real and this is... wh-wherever it is, then that means I died... b-because of my dream?"
MR. DEATH: "Well, they do say that Sleep is the brother to Death, so that did play a part in it. However-" He moved close up to her, making MARI step back hesitantly. "Because of how weak your body's physical state was, and because of how straining that nightmare was for you mentally, your body couldn't handle all that pressure and up and gave out on you. Meaning-"
He leaned down face to face with her as her nervousness grew. "Once I DO put you back, promise me you will take better care of yourself more, little lady. We do not want to be visiting me too early again, now would we?"
MARI felt less nervous and more ashamed, feeling like she was being told off be a parent being disappointed in her. She cleared her throat and looked down to the ground. "Y-Yes sir."
MR. DEATH: "Good. I will hold you accountable to that promise."
MARI looked up slowly and began looking around, seeing all of the White Egret Orchids surrounding her. "I... Have so many questions about all this. Too many to ask.... but, for now, I.... I just want to go home with my brother." She said looking back to SUNNY. He walked up to her and held her hand, nodding his head slowly.
SUNNY: "I want that too..." He slowly looked up to MR. DEATH. "I-I'm sorry this happened, sir. But... can we go now? Please?"
MR. DEATH stood back up. "Of course, I can understand why you two would wish to leave now. And I can send you both back, however-" He slid to SUNNY, standing in front of him and looking down. " SUNNY SUZUKI, I would like a word with you in private."
MARI got nervous again, holding out her hand. "B-But-!"
MR. DEATH: "You need not worry, MARI SUZUKI, it is just discussing the unforseen circumstance. I will swiftly send him back to you after. You have my word."
She looked MR. DEATH and then her brother, seeing him grab her hand in both of his. "I'll be okay.... I'll come back, I promise."
MARI looked him in the eye as he said that. She knew he wasn't lying. With a heavy heart, she closed her eyes and pulled him in gently for a hug. Both embraced yet again as she clung to his gown tightly. ".... O-Okay...."
They both stepped back after a minute, MARI kissing his forehead as she gently pressed hers against his. She then turned to MR. DEATH and took a deep breath. "Sir... Thank you again. I-I'm ready now... uhm, please."
MR. DEATH chuckled. "Manners shall get you a long way, MARI SUZUKI. Now then, I hope I do not see you for quite some time... that sounded far more polite in my head, but you know what I mean."
He held out a long black hand once more, putting it on top of her head as she looked at SUNNY, nodding as he held her hand. Suddenly, she was surrounded by a bright white light, her eyes glowing as well while she looked almost at peace. Everything turned white around them, blinding SUNNY for a moment before he felt her hand disappear. And then... she was gone. Returned back to the living world...
SUNNY closed his hand gently and sighed in relief, looking down to it before he turned his head to MR. DEATH.
MR. DEATH: "... She doesn't know, does she? That you... aren't her version of SUNNY SUZUKI?"
He wasted no time. But SUNNY somewhat knew this was rhe case. Looking down to the ground, he sighed lightly. "N-No... she doesn't..."
MR. DEATH put his hand on SUNNY's shoulder, patting it gently. "Look, son... I cannot tell MARI what happened. That would break one of the rules I have placed upon myself. I cannot directly tell someone that there is an infinite world of possibilities out there in the ENDLESS FIELD... but if they figure it out themselves, much like you have, then I am able to discuss more with them. You've figured it out, but MARI has not yet. Whether you tell her or not is up to you, son."
SUNNY tried to understand it all, piecing it together in his mind as he slowly nodded. "I... I'll try, to tell her... eventually..."
MR. DEATH nodded and patted him once more. "Good, good. Well, I have quite the bit more to ask you, but I suppose it's about time to send you on your way. Now remember, your case is VERY special, SUNNY SUZUKI. I will give a bit of leeway on the situation if we do somehow meet again. However, I will not do it indefinitely. I am already breaking one of my big rules just talking with you, but... quite honestly... this is the most interesting thing to happen to me in eons."
SUNNY looked confused and a little nervous, scratching the back of his neck. "U-Uh... Thank you?"
MR. DEATH chuckled lightly before clearing his throat. "Alright, now then... let's get you home, son."
He reached out his hand to SUNNY's head. He was ready to accept it, until-
SUNNY: "W-Wait!" MR. DEATH stopped just before he touched his head. SUNNY cleared his throat nervously before asking "H-How, uh... How is OTHER me? Is he... okay? W-Will he get into trouble?"
MR. DEATH stood there for a moment, pondering his answer before giving a long sigh. "Oh you big softie..." He said to himself before looking to SUNNY. "This is all I can say, but... he is doing quite fine, son. That I promise. And no, he will not be punished, you have my word"
SUNNY gave a quick sigh, holding his hand to his chest, feeling relief hearing him say that. "Good... O-Oh, sorry sir. I-I just wanted to know."
MR. DEATH rubbed SUNNY's head lightly "No worries, my boy. None at all."
SUNNY gave a brief laugh through his nose before taking a deep breath. "O-okay... I'm ready now, sir."
MR. DEATH nodded and put his hand on top of SUNNY's head. "Go live your life, SUNNY SUZUKI... Live it well."
With those words, SUNNY saw his body begin to glow, just like MARI's did, his eyes shining brightly as he felt at peace, the light engulfing him until suddenly... he vanished as well. Back... to the living world once again...
---
The ENDLESS FIELD was empty once more, MR. DEATH being the only thing standing it in the countless rows of Orchids. Questioning to himself as everything that had just happened replayed in his mind
MR. DEATH: "This.... is going to be very interesting. Just how will this play out. Even I don't know... and that's quite exciting!"
.
.
.
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CHAPTER 13: END