I ain't a pea-brain-
A shadowy mist, smelling vaguely of burnt sugar and mischief, swirled and solidified in the corner of Phi's meticulously curated room.
Normally, Phi would have unleashed a torrent of complaints about the disruption to his pristine space, but since it was that incorrigible rascal, Hyde, Phi held his tongue. Hyde's visits were always accompanied by the promise of their favorite sweets, the thrill of a good Night Hunt, and, of course, the juiciest new gossip. If that nuisance, Evel, had tagged along, Phi would have launched the interloper out of his domain without a shred of mercy. But before Phi's thoughts could stray further down that prickly path, the door slammed open, revealing Hyde leaning dramatically against the frame.
"Yo, Phi!" The familiar greeting echoed through the room, followed by a theatrical flourish. "How you doin'? Did ya get bored without me?" A well-known smirk followed, playing across Hyde's lips. As if anyone could forget the one who'd been by your side for over two millennia – let alone your own self. Though, with this place being so damn painful, who wouldn't want to forget?
"Hyde, quit messing up my room. What have you brought this time?" Phi turned, a stern expression plastered on his face. He perched his reading glasses on his nose – the very pair Hyde had personally "prescribed" – and gestured to the scattered notes detailing their realm's ever-increasing problems. "And don't even think about dragging Evel and that nuisance, Kyle, back here. And definitely no Nightfell. I know you better than you know yourself."
Hyde snickered, a low rumble in his chest. "Aw, come on, Phi. When have I ever denied you anything, dear brother o’ mine? I know you just as well – and I know you're just jealous as hell of Evel. He's just my research partner, you know."
Phi snorted, derision dripping from every syllable. "And another one of your 'research' flings," he muttered under his breath, rubbing his temples in resignation. Only Hyde could wear him down like this. Phi had an annoyingly soft spot for the bastard, and Hyde damn well knew it, shamelessly exploiting it whenever his boredom reached critical mass.
"Anyway," Hyde continued, swinging his legs onto the table and narrowly missing the inkwell. "What devilry are we getting into this time? Whatcha gonna do about that dumbass and his pet normie? We can't let it slide forever – it'll set a baaaaaaad precedent!" Hyde casually ripped pages from a thick dictionary, his expression one of manic amusement. Phi merely sighed and removed his glasses, leaving a dusty black fingerprint – just like Hyde's.
After all, they were one. Though not related by blood, their magic was intertwined, making them two yet one, separated yet joined, broken but whole. Their entire existence hinged on each other, even as they coexisted with the very person they hated – and needed most. One half's opinion didn't matter; only both mattered, like a shadow and its master, a reflection and its owner, the sun and the moon. Different in form, but the same within.
The thought was both terrifying and exhilarating. A delicate smile played on Phi's lips as Hyde's body was enveloped in a thick layer of black, spreading from his fingertips to his face. Soon, nothing remained but a perfect shadow, eerily similar to Phi's. Hyde gave Phi a pointed look, dripping with sarcasm.
Ah, right. Phi coated his body, face, and hair in the same inky black soot until he was indistinguishable from Hyde. In this mirrored form, the twins were nearly identical – two sides of the same ominous coin. Evil and good, light and dark, yin and yang – a fitting reflection.
Hyde reached out, his fingers caressing Phi's face. A black mist poured from their touch, swallowing the room in an impenetrable darkness. As the shadows enveloped them, Phi mirrored his twin's movements, adding another layer to the growing storm. Hyde laughed, unperturbed, for they were whole.
“We are one and the same, after all…”
The whispered declaration echoed through the realm.
Naru couldn't believe the steaming hot mess she'd gotten herself into. And that was really saying something for a girl who'd already cheated death three times during a single siege.
First, her dimwitted brother had somehow convinced their parents to let him go on a Night Hunt all by himself. Which was just a fancy cover for infiltrating the Mysteries' realm. Alone. Then he had the audacity to drag Naru along, claiming she'd be useful as a healer – stuck on the sidelines. The freaking sidelines! As if that moron had any idea what she was capable of.
Naru had nearly shredded his favorite jacket while mending it the moment he uttered those fateful words. Now she had to stand around uselessly, using her sight to scout the area, while her brainless sibling got to have all the fun – setting apparitions ablaze and generally mucking up the entire boundary. Naru almost felt bad for whatever unlucky Mystery had to deal with her pain-in-the-ass brother, if she was being honest. Not that anyone besides Nika and Gumita would ever listen to her.
Naru let out an exasperated sigh, remembering how she'd had to cancel their sleepover plans to deal with this whole mess. Ugh. Someday she was going to pound some much-needed sense into Aiger's thick skull, and hard. Hell, even her brother's boyfriend's little brother, Hyuga, had way more common sense than Aiger ever did. And that was really saying something, considering Hyuga had once tried to blow up the school fountain with that dumbass "Dark Prince" guy, Daizora.
"Naaaaaruuuu!" Aiger's shrill shriek pierced the air. "You see anything? I can't sense anything at all!" Naru wisely refrained from responding, knowing she'd likely just end up cursing him to death. "What? I couldn't hear you, sis!"
"DID. YOU. SEE. ANYTHING?!" Aiger screeched, his volume loud enough to wake the dead. And, true to his obnoxious screams, the ground suddenly rumbled, and countless rotting body parts started clawing their way out, grabbing for Aiger. Naru had perched herself safely atop a rather pretty, flower-blooming tree, keeping well out of reach of the approaching corpses. As for Aiger? Yeah, he was a prime target.
Naru watched with glee as the rotting hands, fingers, and limbs clawed at her brother. His frantic screams filled the air as he frantically tried to burn them off. Ugh, the stench was enough to make her gag. Naru pinched her nose, desperate to block out the rancid odor. "This is disgusting. I'm outta here, big bro. You guys have fun without me."
She hopped off the tree, unfurling a pair of shimmering white wings (made by magic, of course). With a few powerful flaps, Naru took to the skies, swearing she caught a whiff of barbecue as she glided away. "Gross," she muttered, glancing around at the picturesque landscape below. Her parents had dubbed this place "Neverland" – or was it "Sweet Hell"? Naru could never remember which.
The realm was a veritable fairy tale come to life, all lush greenery, sparkling lakes, and frolicking woodland creatures. Yet an uneasy feeling crept up Naru's spine. Something wasn't right. Where were all the other inhabitants? All she could see were Aiger, the creepy corpses, and… were those shadows shifting beneath her feet? Naru shuddered, quickly applying a healing potion to quell the unsettling sensation.
"Well, this place is pretty," she mused, "but I'll take a hard pass on the zombie apocalypse, thanks." With that, Naru flapped her wings and soared higher, putting as much distance as possible between herself and the bizarre, unsettling realm below. “Can’t tell whether the Mystery has good taste or if they're just plain creepy.” She hoped it was the first, as she had enough creepiness and gore in her slice of life already, thank you very much. Just then, she caught sight of something weird.
A horde of shadowy creatures crept away from the lake, their chirps frantic as they moved with increasing speed. They carried what appeared to be a beautifully carved and gold-patterned coffin. Normally, Naru would have dismissed this, but something about the scenario didn't sit right.
Why were the creatures being so discreet? In this realm, there were virtually no other beings, and even the harmless corpses posed little threat. Yet the creatures moved with caution, as if concealing something dangerous. Not even her hard-headed brother could harm those things even if he wanted to, as they were too fast on their feet.
The coffin itself was puzzling. Coffins typically housed the dead, allowing their souls to depart peacefully and seep back into the realm of Potentiality. But the intricate carvings suggested this was no ordinary casket. Naru had heard rumors of Mysteries experimenting with human bodies, memories, and souls – could this coffin be part of such research? The powerful binding spells twined around it only heightened her suspicions.
The dark tendrils writhing from the ornate coffin pulsed with a malevolent energy, barely contained by the intricate binding spells. Naru, perched unseen on a nearby branch, watched with narrowed eyes. The shadowy creatures, their chirps a frantic chorus, struggled to maneuver the heavy casket, their movements betraying a desperate haste. The "2nd" seal emblazoned on its side, a symbol of the enigmatic Mystery, shimmered ominously, a testament to the power it contained – and the power it was siphoning. This was 2nd's prey, and Naru, despite her vow to stay out of trouble, felt a prickle of morbid curiosity.
"Late, late!" she heard them whisper, a bizarre echo of the White Rabbit, adding an almost comical touch to the unsettling scene. Naru stifled a giggle, the absurdity of the situation momentarily eclipsing the ominous undertones. But the levity quickly faded as she noticed the dark tendrils straining against their magical restraints, writhing like trapped serpents. Whatever was inside that coffin, it was desperate to get out.
A sudden gust of wind rustled the leaves, carrying with it a faint, metallic scent. Naru's wings twitched, her senses on high alert. She landed silently, her feet barely disturbing the soft earth. The scent grew stronger, a chilling reminder of blood and violence. It was coming from a path shrouded in an unnatural darkness, a stark contrast to the whimsical beauty of the surrounding realm. A path that led directly to where the shadowy creatures had disappeared.
"Well, this is just great," Naru muttered to herself, a hint of sarcasm lacing her voice. "Just what I needed. Another creepy detour." But despite her grumbling, she knew she couldn't ignore it. The pull of the unknown, the thrill of uncovering a secret, was too strong to resist. Besides, what was the worst that could happen? She'd faced down three-headed dogs, survived sieges, and even endured her brother's terrible jokes. A little darkness couldn't possibly be that bad, right?
With a deep breath, Naru stepped into the shadows.
Meanwhile, in another part of the realm, a different kind of darkness was unfolding. Hyde, a whirlwind of chaotic energy, was having the time of his life. He tore through a swarm of grotesque clingers, their shells crunching beneath his shadowy form. "These things are ruining my appetite," he chuckled, flinging a particularly nasty specimen against a nearby tree.
Phi, however, was less than amused. He meticulously examined a discarded clinger shell, his expression a mixture of disgust and annoyance. "Hyde, these things stain," he complained, pointing to a dark smudge on his otherwise pristine hand. "You know I hate stains."
Hyde shrugged, his shadowy form shifting and swirling. "Relax, Phi. A little dirt never hurt anyone." He grinned, revealing a set of disturbingly sharp teeth. "Besides, aren't we supposed to be embracing the darkness?"
Phi rolled his eyes. "There's a difference between embracing the darkness and having your favorite coat ruined by monster slime." He sighed, knowing full well that arguing with Hyde was like arguing with a particularly stubborn shadow. "Just try to be a little less… messy, will you?"
Hyde snickered. "Where's the fun in that?" He paused, his senses suddenly piqued. "Hold on," he said, his voice dropping to a low growl. "Do you smell that?"
Phi sniffed the air, his nose wrinkling. "Is that… blood?" He detested the damn thing, they were far too hard to wash off.
Hyde's grin widened. "Looks like our little detour just got a whole lot more interesting.” Oh nooooo. Phi immediately grabbed Hyde’s collar, preventing him from moving any further.
"Aw, come on!" Hyde exclaimed, still struggling to get himself out of Phi's grasp. "Just for a little while! And 'sides, y'know full well those ain't spirits! They're exorcists!!"
Phi immediately dropped Hyde and turned to him so fast, his saber rattled in its sheath. "What. did. You. Just. SAY?! EXORCISTS?!"
Hyde blinked, taken aback by Phi's sudden shift from fastidious neat-freak to furious force of nature. "Uh, yeah? Didn't you smell the... you know... exorcist?" He wiggled his fingers in a vaguely mystical gesture.
Phi pinched the bridge of his nose, a vein throbbing ominously in his forehead. "Hyde," he said, his voice dangerously low, "exorcists are messy. They're loud, they're dramatic, and they have this thing about flinging themselves around like rag dolls. And their blood," he shuddered, "don't even get me started on the blood. It's practically indelible."
Hyde winced. "Okay, okay, point taken. But they're here, Phi. In our realm. Don't you think we should... investigate?" He gave Phi his best puppy-dog eyes, which were surprisingly effective even in shadowy form.
Phi narrowed his eyes, his suspicion warring with his innate curiosity. "Investigate," he repeated, the word dripping with skepticism. "Or trash my meticulously organized corner of the universe?"
Hyde held up his hands in mock surrender. "Hey, I'm a professional! I can be discreet. Besides," he added with a sly grin, "think of the gossip! Imagine what juicy tidbits we'll glean from eavesdropping on a bunch of meddling exorcists."
Phi considered this, his expression softening slightly. Gossip was a powerful motivator. And the thought of those self-righteous exorcists blundering around in their realm, completely unaware of being observed, was undeniably tempting.
"Fine," Phi conceded, "but if a single drop of exorcist ichor so much as grazes my new cloak, I'm unleashing Nightfell on you for a week. Understood?"
Hyde gulped, the image of Nightfell's particularly nasty brand of "artistic lecture" flashing through his mind. "Crystal clear," he said, his voice a little higher than usual. "Discretion is my middle name. Well, not really. But I'll be discreet. Promise."
Phi raised an eyebrow, his skepticism returning full force. "Somehow, I doubt that. But fine, let's go. But you are cleaning up if things go south.”
Hyde grinned, his enthusiasm bubbling back to the surface. "Deal! This is going to be fun!" He vanished in a swirl of shadows, leaving Phi alone with his thoughts.
"Fun," Phi muttered to himself, adjusting his glasses. "He always says that. And it always ends in disaster. Why do I even bother?" He sighed, knowing full well that he wouldn't miss this for the world. After all, what was life without a little chaos? Especially when it came at the expense of annoying exorcists.
Naru, our intrepid explorer (and self-proclaimed "not-a-pea-brain"), was having a day.
First, she gets swallowed by a shadow path (seriously, who names a path a "shadow path"? Sounds like something out of a spooky comic book), then she's spitting out soot like a tiny, disgruntled chimney. Honestly, between the humiliation and the soot, she was about ready to write a strongly worded letter to the manager of this whole "mission" thing.
After a quick scrub-a-dub-dub (gotta love portable soap!), Naru marched on. This path was giving her the creeps. It was dark, it was sooty, it probably smelled like old gym socks and despair. But, ever the professional (sort of), Naru remembered her parents' wise words: "Avoid the muck." Words to live by, really.
Then, glimmer! Something sparkly caught her eye. Naru whipped her head around, ready to face... Well, she didn't know what. Maybe a tiny dragon? A portal to a land made of candy? Nope. It was the keyhole. The keyhole. The one that had brought her here in the first place. Naru stared at it. Then she stared at the path. Then she stared back at the keyhole. She felt a giggle bubbling up inside her. This was ridiculous! Utterly, hilariously, ridiculously ridiculous!
"You've got to be kidding me," she muttered to the keyhole. It didn't answer. Probably because it was a keyhole.
With a dramatic sigh (because drama is always appropriate, especially when you're covered in soot), Naru pulled out her key (thankfully she hadn't lost that in the shadow path of doom) and slotted it into the keyhole. Click!
The keyhole swung open, revealing... a broom closet.
Okay, maybe not a broom closet. But it was a small, circular room, lit by glowing mushrooms (much better than old gym socks and despair). In the center of the room, there was a single, giant, red button. And above the button, a sign: "Do NOT press this button."
Naru grinned. "Well, hello, temptation."
Against every single teaching of her ever-suffering parents and damned ancestors, she pressed said button. With bated breath, she waited. Then…
Nothing.
Naru stared at the button, unsure whether she should push it out of pure boredom or destroy it for being annoying. Then she felt herself tipping over. Huh. Was she dizzy? Then she saw that wasn’t it.
The floor had opened up, swallowing Naru before she could speak. As she tumbled down so fast she couldn’t even scream, all she could do was wish for her luck…
And for a soft landing.
And maybe a snack.
And definitely for this whole mission to be over soon.
"Wheeeee!" she yelled, finally finding her voice as she plummeted into the darkness. "This is just like that ride at the amusement park, except way less safe!"
Suddenly, she landed with a thump.
"Oof," she said, sitting up. "I think I'm alive." She looked around. She was in a small, dark room. The only light came from a crack in the ceiling, far above her head.
"Well, this is just great," she muttered. "I'm trapped in a hole." Naru looked around the room again. There had to be a way out of here. Then she saw something glinting in the darkness.
It was another button.
"Oh, come on!" Naru yelled. "Are you kidding me?"
As Phi leisurely slaughtered anything he could find in the cursed, ancient house tucked away in Hyde's realm, the boss was busy texting. Specifically, to a certain blue-haired scientist who loved dissecting animals (aka Evel).
Hyde could only pray Phi didn't notice the notifications pinging on his phone, lest Phi storm off and grumble for the entire decade. That would be a real pain. Thankfully, they could only merge in absolute emergencies - otherwise, Hyde knew Phi would take over and never let him see the light of day again. Not that he could blame his counterpart.
CyborgShadow: Yo, what's up?
BlueScienctist: I'm good. What's going on?
FoxMask: Did that jerk take over again? I swear, if he does that one more time, I'm calling in some spirits to figure out how to separate you two.
BlueScienctist: I hope he at least put his phone on silent. If he finds out, I'm not sure you'll even be alive tomorrow, Kyle.
CyborgShadow: Crap! At least he's busy, so we can chat. Besides, you two are my employees. He can't hurt you, remember?
FoxMask: I know that. Anyway, what the heck happened? It's so boring over here.
BlueScienctist: Let me guess - exorcists and phantoms?
CyborgShadow: Yup!!! How did you know?!
BlueScienctist: Literally nothing else besides Phi would guarantee an emergency chat like this. Should I punt them out?
FoxMask: Probably??? Those are nothing but nuisances. I swear, even Nightfell's art lectures are more tolerable than the mess exorcists leave behind.
CyborgShadow: Pffft. True, but they're great for annoying Phi to death. At least I get to pick at their corpses - if there's anything left after that.
FoxMask: Every time he takes over, we're left to clean up the mess. What does he think we are - janitors? How did you even agree to this, Hyde??
BlueScienctist: Normally, I'd disagree with whatever Kyle says. But I agree on this one. What the fuck did you even see in that fucking bitchy prick?!
FoxMask: Wow. Evel's swearing. Is the world ending???
CyborgShadow: Hilarious, you two. You knew I had no choice. We would've merged whether I activated the spell or not.
BlueScienctist: True, but if he hadn't meddled, you wouldn't be eternally bound to him. How are you supposed to stay sane after over 20 centuries with that Christ-like figure?
FoxMask: For the rest of eternity, no less. I'm with him on this one. Can't we at least get you a new body? Oh wait, that jerk already destroyed it.
CyborgShadow: Can we focus? Should I leave those exorcists alone? I'm just lazy, and no exorcist has ever survived more than 24 hours in my realm. Phi's off doing who knows what, so I'm free.
FoxMask: You using 3rd's pun? That guy is so smitten with 8th, I can smell the hormones even if we're all dead. That is, when 7th isn't busy trying to set up 3rd with her. Sirens are real possessive.
BlueScienctist: It's instinctual. Sirens can only love once, so they must choose the best mate. I suppose that trait remains even in death.
CyborgShadow: Is that bitch getting even stronger? Her attitude makes me think she and 8th were luvrivals in a past life or something. Her behavior just screams ‘frenemies’.
FoxMask: Except we don't know for sure, since 8th can't remember his past life at all. I bet 3rd has a pretty good idea, though, while 7th seems to have almost her entire life back, probably because she's obsessed with 3rd. I'd love to know what that's all about.
BlueScienctist: Does Phi ever bother checking those past records of his, or is he too lazy?
CyborgShadow: Yup, why you askin' - HELL NO, EVEL P. OXFORD!!! There's no way I'm letting that jerk force me to clean up his place so he can take over!
FoxMask: Wtf, blue hair?! We both know Phi's a total bitch. Wth are we offering to help him just to get stuck in some shitty love triangle???
BlueScienctist: Exactly why we should help. You're already on a Night Hunt with him, Hyde. He's bound to demand it from us sooner or later. I'd guess sooner rather than later. It’s been a long time since we’ve got any entertainment. And those magicians are coming-again. We need more intel.
FoxMask: Uggghhhh. Normally I'd curse him to death for this, but he's right. For once. Damn it.
CyborgShadow: Fiiiine. But if this goes sideways, I'm out - no questions asked. Any idea which era those 3 are from?
BlueScienctist: After Magical Massacre One. 8th's a fire dragon, and 7th's a siren - they got totally annihilated in Magical Massacre: The Sequel. Hyde cackling
CyborgShadow: How'd ya know I was laughing??? Anyway, it was stupid and we all know it.
FoxMask: Easy to guess. Anyway, you can access those records if you two merged, right? Or if Phi shifts his workload to you again. Sorry for the hassle - you deserve better.
CyborgShadow: Nah it's chill. Gotta run - you two have fun! I'll see you tomorrow in the dorms. PLEASE get some coffee and sweets. This is gonna be a headache.
BlueScienctist: Kk. See you soon, Hyde.
FoxMask: Later.
CyborgShadow: BYEEEEE!!!!
Hyde logged off, releasing a dramatic sigh that even Phi couldn't miss. True to form, Phi approached, his face twisted into a scowl, sword in hand - not a good sign for Hyde's sanity in the coming days, or weeks if we're being specific.
"What do you think you're doing?" Phi glared, but the expression proved utterly ineffective. Hyde had endured far worse than just glares in his past life, which had toughened him up. "Texting?" Hyde shrugged innocently. Phi growled and stalked off.
"Hey!" Hyde called after his twin. "Think we should corner those exorcists?"
That got Phi's full attention. He snapped back around, looking excited. "Yes, we should. They've been messing up my place for god knows how long. Let's go." He vanished into his compact mirror, leaving Hyde behind to catch up. And to clean up the mess he made.
"Christ." Hyde grumbled, munching on the carcasses Phi left behind. "Sometimes I wonder if I'm the older one, not him. And he’s supposed to be the mature one, being the heir of Mirror Castle and all. Jeez..."
After pressing countless buttons, Naru finally located her targets. The last button had catapulted her from the sky, dropping her directly onto the cloaked creatures below. She narrowly avoided crashing into them, thanks to the quick reflexes of her trusty wings. However, her mana reserves were dangerously low - Naru had little left to spare and lacked expertise in drawing it directly from the Potentiality.
Muttering curses as soot clung to her, Naru landed and slowly followed the creatures on foot. Her poor aching feet had never had to walk this much before, with her wings usually doing the work. Gritting her teeth, Naru pushed on, silently thanking the gods when the soot-covered creatures finally stopped. They were unloading a coffin into a cart, the tracks manifesting automatically as it rolled away. This was her only chance.
"GYAAAAA!" Naru shrieked, leaping from a bush to tackle them all, desperately trying to keep her panic in check. But this proved to be a foolish move.
The contents of the coffin burst out in a swirl of blackness, covering everything and muffling her scream. Naru struggled endlessly, but it was futile. The shadow swallowed her cries as its black tendrils grasped her limbs, dragging her down, down, down into an endless abyss…
“Hey.”
Naru's arm was relentlessly poked by a long, thin finger. "Hey, hey, hey, Ms. Girl Normie. You alive or dead?" The finger's owner switched tactics, poking right in the middle of a nasty bruise. "If you is a corpse, can Hyde eat you and be done with it?" The sting of pain combined with that sentence jolted Naru up with a yelp, clutching her arm. The culprit grinned at her, mouth full of sharp teeth, clearly amused. "Oh, you alive. Hyde did not expect that. Nice to meet you, Ms. Normie Girl."
Unfortunately for him, Naru was not in the mood for jokes.
She immediately jumped up, swinging her hidden dagger in a wide arc towards the weird man. He easily dodged it and in one move, grabbed the butt of the dagger and flipped her over, completely unfazed. Naru barely managed to cushion herself before her head slammed into the ground, hard. The guy then flipped her over again so they were eye-to-eye, still smiling easily. Naru nearly growled at him. He barraged on, "You one of them silly normies who got lost at the Lost Abyss? I no know what you all thinking, since Phi never let me go out with a face. It get boring here, so you come here 'cause you bored too?" Naru gritted her teeth, dangling from his hand helplessly by her leg.
"Who're you?" Naru ventured, surprised the feral spirit hadn't attacked her yet - a rare miracle for such a wild creature. She took it as a good sign. "And what are you doing here?"
The strange being before her had all the markings of a mid-level demon - the type that consumed spirits as energy and would devour just about anything in its path. Naru eyed him warily. She’d seen one basically stripped down a demigod soul to bones in mere seconds - she wasn’t about to take any chances.
"I am the Hyde, and who are you, Ms. Girl Normie?" the guy replied vaguely. "And on that note, what you doing here? My Phi can help you find a better place to sleep if you want, but I see you hurt. You take on phantom? You need careful and gear." His odd manner of speaking was both puzzling and amusing. It somehow reminded Naru of a kid who never truly understood language, his mind simply tuned to a whole other plane of existence.
Naru sighed, hating to ask for help, but she had no choice. "I’m Naru. What do you mean, a phantom? And, uh, can you help me get out of here?" she asked the odd, towering man before her.
The tall, lavender-haired stranger looked down at her, his one visible green eye gleaming. "Those," he said, pointing to a clump of melted soot that was wriggling and trying to regenerate. "They gather from you normie human bad feeling and clump together if too small. They want faces like you since they too dark, like me."
He set Naru down easily, not at all bothered by her presence. "How old are you? Ninety? Ooh, four!" he exclaimed.
Naru stared at him, bewildered. "Uh, no. I'm like 13. Do you know how to get out of here?" His way of speaking was so odd it took her a while to understand.
The strange man towered over Naru, standing nearly 3 feet taller. With his lavender hair in a messy mane, one piercing green eye, and numerous piercings and jewelry, he had a distinct feminine look. His purple spiked hoodie, black pants, and boots seemed to complement his quirky personality quite well. All that blurred in the background as her panic took over, realizing what she’d done.
Suddenly, he grabbed Naru's hands, jerking to the side with a happy look. "Wait!" he yelled. "Did you hear that?"
"Hear what?" Naru murmured, her spine creeping with an unknown malice. The demon-like man grinned ecstatically, bringing his hand to his pierced ear.
"Phantoms! They're coming for us!" he said, excited. "Yum!"