61 Last Dance

This shouldn't be another illusion, right? But there's no point in thinking of that! For now, I should fulfill my part of the plan now that he had shown up.

Sorry for making you wait, the two of you... I had quite the shitshow.

|...|

I'm a considerable distance away from either party, but merely breathing in this atmosphere might get me killed. It's like I got teleported in the middle of an epic anime fight.

My vision is blurry, but for now, I should confirm.

"Nori! What's my favorite food?!" I shouted as I got up on my knees, raising both my hands as if I was getting arrested.

For all I know, this may be another illusion. I need to be twice more meticulous with how I act now since I'll be walking with a black cat on my trail.

"Master! Come here!" A voice yelled to my right.

"No, Master! It's a trap! Don't listen to him!" Another voice yelled, but this time to my left.

Well, this is quite the cliche. I'd be pleased if you would cease from putting me through life-scarring, fatal circumstances, Mr. Author.

That aside, this is fucking bad. I'm sure this isn't the type of situation you'd give to a kid who just had a mental breakdown.

"Nori! Do you mind being more convincing?!" I howled, still with my arms raised.

"Master! Come here! Fukitsu needs your help!" The voice from my right yelled out again.

There are two silhouettes towards their direction, and from this range, I can tell which is who. Fukitsu seems to be clinging to Nori as he holds his stomach like there was a wound.

I don't know what the hell happened and how a mind entity gets injured, but if even Fukitsu is in this state, then it's...

"Don't listen to him, Master! Fukitsu is fighting over control of your body right now!" This time, the voice to my left shouted.

On the other hand, there's only Nori's silhouette to my left.

Right now, Fukitsu should be pulling the strings of my body according to the plan. Nori, Fukitsu, and I experimented with it before. If no one assumes control, my body will lay lifeless.

But, in dire cases like this, Fukitsu should be by Nori's side. Especially now when they've grown attached to each other.

Fuck this! I feel like President Kennedy during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Both of them are convincing!

"Argh! This is all bullshit!" I yelled as I sat down on the ground, legs crossed.

Like a Karen's unvaccinated child throwing a tantrum, I exclaimed, "Fuck all of you! I can't see shit, so you come over to me!"

"M-Master?" The voice to my right muttered in a puzzled tone.

"I can't believe how useless you are, Nori! Don't you have some kind of ability for shit like this?!"

A cliche situation calls for a cliche solution. Since the author has a weird fetish for Tsundere characters, Nori would say something like... 'Master, after everything I've done for you..." or something like that.

"..."

Eh? No response. I-I'm Nori's Master, so I should know how she'd act, right?"

"Master, are you taking this seriously? The voice from my left annoyingly remarked.

"We still have to continue the plan, Mi-... Master! We don't have time for your antics!" The voice from my right added.

That Nori stuttered, didn't she? Well, that was quite the slip-up, but if he disrupted our plan effortlessly, why would he be careless now? I don't get it... there's still a chance that this is another illusion.

I guess I don't have a choice but to do that. Who would've thought it'd end like this, but I'm eternally grateful.

With a rare frown on my face, I looked at the ground and ordered, "N-Nori! We're doing it!"

I don't know how I got here, but... A former loner who once viewed humans as tools now risking his own life to save the bane he loathed. That sure is a turnaround.

As I sat on the ground, lost in thought, both Noris simultaneously complained, "But Master! You might die!"

It's honestly ironic how fast the sun rises. For hours the darkness reigned, only to be eaten away by the rising light in mere minutes. Seventeen years of living molded into a bleak, nihilistic view of life, only to be washed away into the sea of memories in a month.

Freedom really doesn't exist... no matter how much you drown yourself in the thought, you can't decide for yourself at the end of the day.

"That's an order, Nori. If you can't do it, then you're-"

"As you wish, Master." In a silent and sobbing voice, Nori responded.

I could hear the pain behind those words... as soon as she opened her lips, it felt like my chest was pierced by a needle. I gave all the time in the world for her to accept it, so she should be ready.

"Let's see the future together again, okay?" With a smile that says everything is alright, I stared into Nori's eyes and whispered.

"..."

No responses, huh? All I can hear is her footsteps and her tears dripping on the floor.

Nori is approaching from the left, so that means...

|...|

A terse chuckle reiterated throughout the void. From that alone, I could tell how much he's enjoying this. Just that brief eruption of joy was enough to make my body go cold with dread.

|...|

That brief outburst was followed by a raucous laugh, loud enough to make my eardrums explode. His deep, raspy noise sounded out of this world, like it was made by a machine.

If cookie monster's voice was low-pitched, it'd be this... let that sink in.

"You think I'd let you get away? After all I planned? Wishful thinking, dumbfucks." Cookie monster's voice threatened as he approached us. His silhouette was more coherent for every step he took.

"Nori! Do it now!" I hurriedly yelled as panic started to tick in.

"I'll let you see... the melancholy of tomorrow."