Ch. 2: True Fear

"You may be wondering why I gathered you all here today," Rikka said, standing in front of a couch with three very different girls sitting upon it, one with blonde hair and a detective's cap, one with light-blue hair and sharp teeth, and the other with dark purple— almost black— hair with odd tentacles coming from her back. They were all wearing fairly casual clothes, with the detective wearing an expensive but comfortable looking jacket with dark tights and some circular glasses, the shark wearing a short almost apron-like dress with some loose sandals, and the tentacle girl wearing a painter's outfit with a large poofy hat and a pair of rectangular glasses.

"You really had to pick the most cliche line to start us off?" Gura groaned, crossing her legs and putting her arm around Amelia's shoulder, "But yeah, I am wondering."

"Have we even introduced ourselves yet?" Ina asked.

"O-oh yes, I should probably do that," Rikka's eyes widened and he suddenly bowed, "Hello, I am Rikka, Holostars' very own android. It's good to formally meet you all."

"Yeah yeah," Gura chuckled, "A. It's Gawr Gura."

"I'm Amelia Watson, detective extraordinaire," Amelia proudly proclaimed with a smug smirk.

"My name is Ninomae Ina'nis, but just Ina will do," Ina smiled, "So, what do you want to tell us?"

"Again, it's so great to finally meet you all in person," Rikka reiterated, bowing once more, "But yes, what I've come to tell you all. I'm sure you know Calliope and I have been collaborating more on our videos."

"Tell me about it, Kiara's been wearing our ears off," Gura shook her head with a grin. Rikka appeared to jolt up when she said this, but he quickly regained his composure and continued speaking.

"Yes, there is a reason for this. You see…" Rikka explained, "Calliope and I professed our love to each other fairly recently. I suppose you're what you call 'boyfriend' and 'girlfriend'."

"Woah! Really?!" Gura suddenly sprang up, "Yo, that's awesome!"

"Damn, that's pretty crazy, haha," Amelia giggled, "Never would have expected it."

"Eh, I saw it coming. You're her type," Ina flashed a teasing grin, "Still though, the love between an AI and a shinigami… it's unconventional, but it sounds oddly fitting."

"W-wait, hold on," Gura sat back down, "When? Where? ...How?"

"It was a week or two ago I believe, although I've deleted the exact details from my memory banks," Rikka admitted, putting a hand on his neck, "But I attempted a suicide, to which Calliope swooped in and stopped me. She said it wasn't my time, but that was clearly a lie seeing as how I don't have a soul. We then admitted our love for each other."

"Wh-why did you try to kill yourself?!" Ina suddenly looked up with a shocked expression.

"Oh, that's easy," Amelia smugly pushed up her glasses, "He must have been too embarrassed to admit his feelings, so he cooked up that plan, banking on the hope that Calliope shared the same feelings that Rikka did."

"Detective's intuition, I see," Rikka complimented, nodding, "That is correct."

"Wow…" Gura said in surprise, "You're stupid, Rikka-san…"

"Like you're much better, Gura," Amelia flicked the shark girl's forehead.

"Hey, I resent that!" Gura bonked the detective on the head.

"No, Gura-chan is right, it was honestly incredibly idiotic of me," Rikka admitted, chuckling sheepishly, "But please, drop the '-san'. Never been a fan of the honorific."

"Whatever you say, Rikka," Gura smiled.

"Anyways, I'd like your advice," Rikka expressed, "What does Calliope like? Any hobbies she enjoys?"

"Hmm… well, you could start with calling her Calli," Amelia said, "Calliope just feels kind of distant. Like how you feel when you're called 'Rikka-san'."

"Understood," Rikka nodded, "Thank you for the information. I'll store this in my databanks."

"She really likes red wine, if you're down for that," Gura thought, "There's rap of course… I think I remember her mentioning Mafia movies once or twice? Oh, she likes flowers too! Especially roses."

"Haha, I think I'm gonna need to get an external harddrive," Rikka laughed, "I'm all ears, keep going."

"Well, she loves reaping, although she hasn't done it in a short while," Ina pondered, "She likes her sensei, as well. I wouldn't be surprised if she wanted to introduce him to you sometime. Don't be surprised if it happens."

"Meeting Death, huh? It's poetic, in an odd sense," Rikka thought, "Thank you, I'd say this is sufficient information. I just have one thing I need to get off my chest."

"What's that, Rikka?" Gura asked curiously.

"I'm… well, I guess I'm…" Rikka struggled to get the words out of his mouth, sweat running down his face. Who knew robots sweat just like humans do? And who knew they get pale, too? Wait a minute…

"Hey, Rikka, are you alright?" Ina asked worriedly, "You look ill."

"Haha…" Rikka forced himself to laugh, "I guess you could say I'm a tad ill…"

"Huh? You catch a cold or something?" Gura asked, "Can robots even do that?"

"No, it's not an illness in the traditional sense," Rikka shook his head, a nervous smile across his face, "I'm just feeling what true fear feels like for the first time…"

"Fear? Of what?" Amelia asked before her eyes lit up and she looked at the android boy teasingly, "Wait, are you seriously…?"

"Detective's intuition at work again, huh?" Rikka chuckled, cold sweats still running down his cheeks, "I'm terrified… I'm terrified of Takanashi Kiara!"

...

"Calli! It's been too long!" the phoenix dressed in a white top and jean shorts immediately hugged the grim reaper the moment she saw her at her doorstep, "We need to collab! ASAP!"

"Guh! Kusotori…" Calliope grumbled, straightening her cap, "It's good to see you too."

"What are you waiting for? Come on in!" Kiara pulled Calliope inside her home, setting her on a couch and immediately scurrying into the kitchen.

"H-hey, Kusotori, wait!" Calliope stammered angrily, trying to get the phoenix's attention.

"Don't worry, I'll be out in a bit!" Kiara said in a cheerful sing-song voice.

After only about a minute or so, Kiara rushed out with two steaming mugs filled with tea.

"It's oolong, your favorite!" Kiara beamed, sitting down adjacent to the reaper and handing her one of the cups of tea.

"Thanks Kusotori, but-" Calliope tried to say before being cut off by Kiara.

"So, why'd you come? It's been so long since you've come of your own accord!" Kiara smiled, "Wait, are you finally gonna profess your love for me? Oh my god, I don't know if I'm ready-"

"Kusotori!" Calliope finally broke in, interrupting Kiara. The two looked at each other surprised and in silence for a few seconds before said silence being broken by one of Calliope's sighs.

"Listen, I'm sorry for yelling, Kusotori, but I've gotta level with you…" Calliope looked down, watching the steam from her oolong tea rise, "You know how Rikka and I have been collabing more often?"

"Yeah! Your content together's been great!" Kiara smiled.

"Yeah, well, thing is…" Calliope shifted awkwardly, putting her hand on her neck as a light blush appeared on her face, "Dude and I… we're kinda going out… as, like, more than friends…"

...

"HAHA! YOU'RE SCARED OF KIARA!" Gura laughed wildly, pointing at the robot boy as she nearly fell off the couch.

"I mean, it's a valid fear to have," Ina reasoned, trying to talk over Gura's seemingly boundless laughter, "Kiara is crazy for Calli, after all. She would do anything for her. She's died for her countless times, after all."

"Let's not forget the usual room…" Amelia ominously said, a wide grin spreading across her face.

"Wh-what's the usual room?!" Rikka asked, seemingly even more petrified than before.

"Shut up, Ame," Ina scolded the detective, who only shrugged and giggled a little bit.

"Do I have anything to worry about?" Rikka asked, gulping, "That's all I need to know."

"I don't think so," Ina reassured, shaking her head, "Sure, Kiara loves Calli, but I think deep down she cares about her happiness above all else.

"That's why I have to ask you a question," Ina's face became a bit more serious, "Do you make Calli happy?"

Rikka thought for a moment. He knew for sure Calli made him happy. But did he make her happy? He thought back to when they were recording Spiral Tones. He recalled the determined glances they gave each other when recording, and the way her face slowly perked up when Rikka broke into song. He grinned, then recalling his many collabs with the reaper, all the laughs, smiles, blushes, and kind words they shared. He looked up at Ina with a sincere smile on his face.

"Yes," Rikka nodded, "Yes, I do make Calli happy."

"Then you have nothing to worry about," Ina smiled sweetly, "Go get her, tiger."

"Yeah," Rikka said, hyping himself up, "Yeah! I'm not afraid of you, Takanashi Kiara!"

Just then, the orange-haired phoenix burst through the door with sword and shield in hand, attempting to charge at the robot. The moment she was about to make contact with Rikka, however, Calliope rushed in with her scythe, blocking her attack.

"Ngh!" Calliope groaned, opening a dark portal as she fought against Kiara's sword, "Sorry, honey! I'll talk with you later!"

"Sleep with one eye open, Rikka-senpai~" Kiara said with an eerie voice, enough to make a chill run down anyone's spine. Calliope pushed Kiara into the shadowy wormhole, sending her to the Underworld, and jumped in to continue the battle.

"Not scared of her, eh?" Gura teased, nudging Rikka's torso with her elbow upon noticing a resurgence of a familiar terrified face on the android's head. Rikka simply curled up in the corner of the room, letting out occasional whimpers filled with genuine fear.

"True fear… is a horrible emotion…" Rikka murmured, his face once again going pale.