Those We Once Knew

"Please just admit that you're enjoying this."

I was exhausted, there was no sign of Azag anywhere near us and Chopper was going on and on with the same thing over and over again. Still, I was able to return to my old self which I had forgotten for a while now. All this dying brought back fond memories.

"Seraph, if you'd just be still and do what I tell you to-"

Surely, he didn't quite grasp how hard it was to do this, to kill and to die at the same time. For a long time, after god knows how many attempts, I was the sole one dying, somehow he managed to not die every single time.

"There should be a better mechanism to this, wouldn't you agree?"

My proposal was likely to be overlooked. I "wasn't in my right mind", as he had told me earlier.

Azag had pulled this illusion out of our dreams, our memories and imaginations. In other words, this illusion was the materialization of our minds. And thus to break through, we needed to make sure both our minds ceased functioning simultaneously. This was harder than I could have imagined.

"What I'm saying, kid, is why is this the image of your hometown in your mind?", Chopper had asked earlier.

I wondered. I never remember it being so torn up and destroyed, yet the illusion was purely a reflection of my own mind. I observed that perhaps it had been Azag who distorted my memories, as still, I could barely remember anything about my hometown. Although, now I was certain that this was indeed my home.

In the end, Chopper decided that breaking each other's neck at the same time wasn't working. Every time I died, we'd be transported right back and the illusion continued. Finally, he pulled out Ivory and placed his wrist right next to mine, bringing Ivory close, measuring the measurables.

"This ought to work, don't forget to wake up as soon as you can and don't move an inch", Chopper instructed me as he went in, making sure one cut would do it for both of us at once.

We were focused entirely on his proceeding when we were interrupted by a presence right between the two of us. She placed her hand on our wrists, blocking the way for Ivory. Her face was towards Chopper but her striking red hair, startled me as well.

"Hey...", she caressed his dumbfounded face, "Will you...cut me again?"

She spoke in a dreamy, low voice, almost like a whisper.

A tiny "C...Corsen...", escaped Chopper's lips.

I felt like I was supposed to know that, somehow. I later remembered I'd seen that name on the grave he had once visited. At the time, I hadn't been sure who or even what Corsen could be. I never heard from Chopper what Corsen had been to him. Even though there had been times when he did mention Wolfe and I had concluded that Wolfe held some close association with him but all these matters were disclosed to me very later on.

In any case, as we stood with Corsen between us, Chopper wasted not a single breath before impaling her with Ivory. She neither retreated nor disappeared.

"Why...", I believe she was smiling when she said that, "...do you kill me...again?"

This burned Chopper's blood and he split her in half right down the middle. At that point, she was gone. But Azag re-emerged soon.

"And here I made efforts to sink deeper too, you are just plain cold, aren't you?", he was addressing Chopper who was boiling with anger.

Chopper and I stood still, Azag in Wolfe's form at a distance and soon we were surrounded by many others. Corsen, Prophet, Lady and some others, faces which I didn't know, a little girl and some men.

"Just puppets, they're empty", Chopper whispered to me.

Naturally, I was already aware. One by one, we slashed every single one of them. Azag watched us calmly before Chopper got to him and I got to the little girl.

"Come now, you wouldn't kill a kid!", he called to me.

Indeed, it wasn't like we were slashing shadows, killing them looked and sounded the same as real people. Regardless, I did what I had to do. I beheaded her just as Chopper killed Azag.

"How could you?!", Azag appeared right in my face, with the most horrifying look.

"Forget it, kid", Chopper grabbed my shoulder. Indeed, there was no point arguing with Azag.

We put our wrists together like before, he drew Ivory over it.

"Who was that, anyway?", he whispered casually, ignoring Azag.

I looked at him, perplexed, "I don't know", I answered.

He looked at me then, confused as well.

"Wasn't it someone you knew?", I asked. Chopper was perhaps searching for the answer to that very question in my face as well. He didn't get to reach a conclusion.

"Fine, I'll let you out", Azag interrupted, he'd overheard us, "Let me show you a fun time, you ignorant fools."