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RP Partner: kageshirogane

Status: Incomplete

Summary: A Shadow confronts the parasite living off it’s host’s mind. A fight that span through reality to dreams, going further than any other battle has ever gone. Amatsu-Mikaboshi against Amatsu-Mikaboshi. There’s no winner in such a battle.

Other notes: Jumps back and forth, it’s pretty long and somewhat existential, goes from literal to metaphorical to everything else in between. Just messy unless you know what happened to Naoto, what a Shadow is and the connection this particular Shadow have with her.

Shivering in his alternate form, Amatsu Mikaboshi, Kage crept up to Naoto and gripped the sides of her head between his long, slender fingers. Though he lacked any real expression, it was obvious that Naoto’s lack of marbles had caused some unwanted results in her psyche as well. Rows of deformed fangs grew out of a twisted grin as he pressed his hands into her temples, “There’s something wrong with you, host-kun…” his voice echoed, “Maybe… if I squeeze hard enough, you’ll stop…”

The hands against her head hurts, which is just as well, it reflects the pounding in her ears perfectly. The creature before her was familiar. Far too familiar for her to fear. Instead, she reached her own hands up, gripping the arms with strength that wasn’t available to a simple human structure. A transparent figure appears, overlaying her own, staring back at him with equally inhuman eyes.

"A shard shouldn’t be talking so big…"

Two…

Like staring back into a mirror, Kage’s shivering grew worse as the proper apparition of Amatsu Mikaboshi appeared before him. Indeed, being disconnected from Naoto’s psyche had caused Kage’s own transformation to take on some wild, uncontrollable behaviors. But the one before him now… at least knew what it was doing. His hands were quickly pulled away from Naoto’s skull from the duel strength the two of them shared, and Kage’s grin settled into a snarl.

“Dependent trash…” his voice whistled out.

It was obvious Naoto isn’t in control of this situation at all. She wasn’t even in control of herself, her mind heavy and chained down, as if she’s drowning. Her mouth moved anyway, uttering words that’s not her own as much as they are hers.

"Useless shards." Her voice was still there, steady and indifferent, but overlapped by a much deeper voice that growled like a beast. "There is no point for your existence. Why waste your useless life for this fruitless encounter."

Their strength is equal, even though there is no way Naoto’s own limb can have so much power in them. Her eyes under the apparition doesn’t blink. Her body’s movement is reminisce of the movement of a puppet; jerky, unstable and unnatural.

Mikaboshi breathed out heavily and shoved Kage’s arms away from Naoto’s head. "Get out of our way."

The moment his arms were thrust out of the way, Kage’s skull took sudden forward momentum and sent the blunt protrusion on his forehead against Naoto’s brow. The shocking jolt was enough to make him slightly dizzy as well, his psyche easily affected by hers. However, his toes gripped into the ground as he took a defensive stance, ready to catch whatever counter his possessed host threw back at him.

“I’m not useless…!” he shouted back between bared fangs, obviously taking the most insult out of that phrase. It was something he, as Naoto’s Shadow, had always lamented endlessly over. “Y-you… You’re the fake here…! You shouldn’t even be. You know host-kun doesn’t want you, nor does she appreciate your taking over of her mind.” His fingers clenched into clawed fists. That was right… wasn’t it? Surely Naoto wouldn’t actually accept something like this as a part of her…

The impact made her head ached more and she groaned slightly, a sound so quiet, it’s impossible to hear over the roar of the angry god who’s moving her like a puppet. She can barely hear the words being spoken by the Shadow, Mikaboshi’s voice bellowing so loudly all around her and inside her skull.

"I don’t care what she appreciates or not. She doesn’t control me. It was I who tolerate her presence!" He replied back swiftly. Naoto took a step forward and swung her arm out at Kage, the overlapping slender arm of Mikaboshi moved exactly as it did, trying to slap the Shadow away. "You… a little shard that had fallen from a person, thinks you are important to her? Don’t make me laugh. She doesn’t care for you, or for I. She simply doesn’t care about anyone."

Kage’s hand lifted up and took the blow from the dual Naoto/Mikaboshi’s arm, quickly throwing it out of the way. He stepped back as the other advanced forwards, trying to restrain himself from dishing out more unnecessary violence. His body shook for more of it, but inwardly, Kage knew that there was some underlying problem that had to be dealt with here. He wanted to fight back… so… badly. Having to resist it was awful.

“No, she cares…” he bristled lightly, forcing down the body that leered with agitation, “If it’s not about me… then I don’t mind. But host-kun has plenty of people in her life that try to look out for her. They care for her…” his face contorted into a worse snarl, “And I don’t know what you’ve done to her, but the host-kun I know will always appreciate and care for those people…!”

Mikaboshi snorted, a movement that Naoto didn’t follow. She lurches forward, her eyes dully staring at the floor. “Do you believe you know her as well as I do, little shard? Have you seen her do the things I have? She enjoyed every second of it, you can practically tell from her eyes~ hurting her so called friends was just the icing on the cake.”

At his words, Naoto looks up, still staring at something very far and distant away, still obviously not all there. But she grins and it was such a wide, malicious grin that it almost matches the one on Mikaboshi’s own face. "I didn’t simply picked her out of a hat to become my host. She already has all the darkness and evil in her heart that the irony simply calls to me…"

Still she lurches on, her arms dangling from either side of her body, though if anyone is paying attention, her hands is slowly forming into fists, twitching one muscle at a time, struggling to steady itself.

Kage leered back, having a difficult time coping with what this creature was saying. How disconnected had he become from his own host…? It was unfortunate to think that there was nothing he could do for her if these were her true wishes, but with Mikaboshi settled comfortably within her mind, it was impossible for the little Shadow to tell whose desires belonged to who. Even his own were starting to fall into question.

Standing up a bit straighter, Kage stared down at the jagged fingers that extended from his hands, his tongue also brushing against the needle sharp fangs in his mouth. “I want to know her better…” he spoke, his voice going calm, “I’ve obviously fallen out of line as her Shadow. I can’t even tell your thoughts from hers, and that leaves me worried. If she truly prefers your presence over mine, then as you said, there really won’t be a reason for me to exist. Why I’m still here in general is certainly worth questioning…” his gaze fell, “If those are her true thoughts, anyways…”

He could feel it, though. The connection that this beast had to Naoto’s mind was, even if by force, far greater than the one that Kage could have ever had. And more than that, Mikaboshi had her own body under his command… Was this a lost cause from the beginning? Kage shook his head, “However, I won’t believe a word of it until I hear it from my host herself, not you… If this is the path in life that she wishes to travel on, then I have no other choice but to follow her on it. If she wishes to kill, then so do I…” his hands clenched into fists, “Even if I’m nothing but dead-weight to her now.”

"Very well…" The body suddenly jerks up, standing up straight. Naoto remained silent for a moment and so did the apparition of Mikaboshi. Even if it doesn’t appear anything is happening, the mind is becoming more pressed. Invisible pressure exerting on her mind as it’s being pulled at again.

"I…" She spoke, her mouth gaping for a moment, trying to find words. A script written across her eyes, telling her what to say. It was her voice, but one that doesn’t sound genuine and the ‘Persona’ knows it.

What came next was a jumble of sensation. All this time, it had appeared as if she was drowning, not in control, tugging at by strings to move along. She had fallen into Mikaboshi’s grip and he had kept his cage strong. Though now he need her awake, Naoto spend a moment confused before snapping back to what she perceive is reality.

Her eyes glinted with a dully but alive in the base’s dim light. She blinked and took a deep breath. Script was still written in her mind, Mikaboshi carefully watches for her to say, even if she knew none of the context. But that’s just the thing Naoto needed. Anything to oppose against the one creature inside her that has tormented her up now is a victory in and of itself. He still need her to escape his prison and any wrong move will jeopardize such a rare chance.

Naoto know this well enough by now, which is why she can rebel against the impossible.

"I might have some hidden violent and possibly evil thoughts in my mind, but I don’t care any less for people YOU made me hurt!" She shouted in one breath, because the next was choked as the Persona reacted violently to her destruction of his planned script.

Her hand moved on it’s own to grip at her own throat as the Persona growled at her and at Kage.

Kage stood still, his steady stance and analytical stare showing how much doubt he had that the Naoto speaking before him was really the one he knew. It wasn’t difficult at all to believe that her very words were just another game of puppetry by Mikaboshi… however… if that was the case, then why didn’t this beast speak through her voice all the time? No, it definitely sounded like Naoto… and then, when she outright stated that it had indeed been Mikaboshi’s fault for forcing into all of this, that was the final clue. Naoto didn’t wish for any of this. She didn’t want her feelings to drive her that far; to hurt people, to kill… No, that was all an act. Mikaboshi’s own desires mixed into her own, which, as any Shadow generally displayed, was an over exaggerated mutation of the truth.

Kage quickly reeled forwards as her hand came to her throat, an act that obviously wanted her own will or doing. Mikaboshi had become enraged, and that was the last thing either of them needed right now. Reaching up, he grabbed at Naoto’s arm with both of his and tried to pry her hand away from her neck. If her grip was so strong that neither of his hands could pull it away, then he would have to resort to worse tricks. Knocking her unconscious was an option… He hoped that with her mind out of commission, so would Mikaboshi’s hold on it be.

“I’m here, host-kun…! Please, listen to my words and remember… this creature isn’t you! It doesn’t have to be a part of you, and I know you have all the will-power needed to force it out!” his hands gripping and pulling at hers shook, “You’re stronger than this… thing!”

Even if everything that he was saying was false and wishful assumptions, he knew they had to be said. Words could do a lot for a person. They could build courage and determination, and such feelings alone could help build her will-power against Mikaboshi. However… she had to be willing to let the beast go in the first place. Guaranteed, though. If Kage could ever get this monster into a one-on-one playing field, he wouldn’t hold back his aggression for anything. But with it still attached to Naoto… that was impossible.

The grip from Kage was strong enough to wrench her hand from her own throat, her fingers have dug deep enough to leave scratch marks along her skin. She took in a deep breath, gasping quickly before her other hand shot out in a punch towards Kage.

She’s feeling again, remembering where she was and what’s happening, one deduction at a time. She’s back at the base, she’s facing…. what appears to be Mikaboshi, but with a voice that sounded more like hers. It was unsettling, deeply disturbing to the sleuth. The visual alone almost set her mind reeling in disgust, digging up the old thoughts and believe that deep down somewhere, she really is as twisted and cruel as Mikaboshi had whispered she is.

A part of her still believe that. It’s why he had the upper hand over her again.

But Kage’s action set it apart. He’s trying to stop her and that in itself give her enough courage to struggle against the heavy pressure being applied on her mind. Her arms twitches and shook, movement unsure as Naoto forces air through her lunges and swollen throat.

"Let go of me…" She mutters through her teeth as one hand slowly lifts up, palm facing up. The apparition of Mikaboshi flinched, their previously synced movements starting to come undone. A blue glow flashes dimly under her feet as a card form in the air, just above her hand. "Sukuna-Hikona…"

Kage took the blow to his cheek, his already deformed jaw making a small pop as its joints dislodged. Almost certain that Naoto was back in control of her own body, the Shadow didn’t expect such a violent counter. With one hand still holding her first one down, Kage’s other hand briefly fixed his slackened jaw. Despite the attack, he didn’t fall back any further than he already was, and his grip on Naoto’s one hand remained strong. Well… that was until Naoto’s other hand raised and beckoned her other facet to come forth.

By complete impulse, Kage’s body manifested itself to fit the situation and it briefly lifted off the ground in a light blue aura. “W-wait, no no…!” The large, oddly proportioned body from before smoothed and shrunk at a quick pace. When he settled again, he was still holding onto Naoto’s hand, but it wasn’t any exaggeration to say that he could probably fit in her hand if he tried, too. The little moth hooked himself onto Naoto’s arm and looked rather dismal, despite the mask hiding his face. This wasn’t the kind of form he wanted to deal with Mikaboshi in… Though he was powerfully fast, he felt a lot more… ‘leashed’ in this form. There was too much control and a lot less brutality. Still, he was just a fragment of the true Persona that Naoto most likely expected to come to her aid, and he expected it, too. Staring upwards, he watched as the Wheel of Fortune card shattered before her hand, his head tilting down.

What was that feeling? A small twinge of jealousy?

She didn’t think this would happen. As the hand holding her wrist shrink, she understood fully what’s happening, even if it was the first time it happened. She had never summoned her Persona while her Shadow was present before, and to watch the human-sized shadow turn into the smaller persona was a wake-up call on it’s own.

Mikaboshi, on the other hand, thought the same thing.

With a thunderous, mocking roar of laughter, it reached forward with it’s clawed hand, intending to smack the … the Persona/Shadow away from Naoto’s arm.

"How degrading isn’t it, to turn into this tiny form. You really are just a shard of whole…"

Her free hand reached up to press against the side of her head, Naoto watched for a moment, mind reeling to reverse the effect. “Dismiss dismiss… come on!” Her impatience at the scene before her eyes, even if she can’t see Mikaboshi hovering just above her still attempting to sync their movements again, made her cry to reverse the summon all the more frustrated.

Kage didn’t seem all too delighted by the dismissal, even if it was true that the tiny body he had now was feeble in comparison to Amatsu Mikaboshi. It was at least very fast, and such lightning quick reflexes could have been used to Kage’s advantage. With such agility, he could have defended himself until his energy returned, but instead, the form was dismissed and he was once again forced to fall back into his basic appearance. The transformation itself was what consumed the most energy, so the quick summon and recalling left Kage almost entirely breathless. There was no way that he could avoid Mikaboshi’s claws that way.

Struck by the sharp fingers, the little moth boy was released from Naoto’s arm with a long tear separating one of his cloth wings into two. The same tear could be seen transferred into Kage’s lab coat as his body hit the floor and returned back to its humanized self. The Shadow boy curled up, a dismal look on his face. The more Mikaboshi attempted to gain control over Naoto’s body again, the more the same appearance tried to take over Kage’s. His clenched fists gripped at his yellow tie, a light heaving in his breath getting progressively worse.

“Make it stop…” he spoke out to Naoto, almost as if begging. It would have been another transformation, after all… The fourth one in just a matter of moments. The boy was exasperated beyond belief.

Watching Sukuna-Hikona get hit sends a pang of guilt through Naoto, never mind the faint jolt of pain that comes with having her Persona hit. The exhaustion was clear on the Shadow’s face as his form returns, one that she didn’t know she would miss seeing. But that relieve came a moment too soon, as his words once again send her own emotions into it’s constant tumble.

Growling angrily, she struggles to take a step forward. Mikaboshi remained, angling back as if pulling her like she’s a dog on a leash, disobeying her owner. Still she lifted a foot and stomped on the floor, one step forward and tearing herself away from his attempts to re-sync their movements. “Let go…”

Her hand still pressed harshly against her temple, she made a decision that she hope is the right one. She have made so many wrong choices, just once, just once she want to make the right one. She raised her other foot, stomping another step forward, pulling them apart further. The rest comes easier, one by one.

As she pulls her other arm free from control, Mikaboshi leashed out fully. No longer restricted down to the size of Naoto, it straightens tall and proud. It reared an arm up and brought it’s sharp fingered hand down. He wasn’t aiming to kill her, they are both confident of that, but the swipe still drew blood, leaving a set of claw marks against the sleuth’s back.

Naoto stumbles forward two steps, before the struggle to free herself took it’s toll on her body and she falls to her knees.

Kage’s body jerked as the blow hitting Naoto created a similarly intense pain crawling through his skin, like a spontaneous and crushing cramp. The little Shadow gave off a low groan and curled together more, barely looking up as he saw Naoto falling forwards. This beast didn’t care about her… not at all. Even a Shadow had the ability to create a cooperation with its host, and sometimes even get on positive terms with each other. But the way Mikaboshi was treating his host… she was nothing more than that. A host. A toy, and a puppet. Kage couldn’t tell what was worse… feeling Naoto’s physical pain, or her emotional pain.

“She doesn’t want you…” the Shadow spoke lowly under his voice, keeping still in an attempt to get his energy back sooner. It wouldn’t take long, but if he tried anything rash right away, he would surely fall just as badly as Naoto had. He made a slow crawl towards his host and rested his love sleeves across her back, watching as the blood quickly seeped through the white cloth. The gentle haze that whipped up around his body seemed to lift up thicker and thicker as he regained himself, eyes leering. Staring up at the massive beast before them, Kage kept himself over Naoto as if to protect her, though his arms were shaking from weakness. “Host-kun… I know you’re hurt, as I can feel it too. I know I’m more than just a fragment, but do you…?” he questioned, “Aid me… Trust that I can rip this beast from you and I will without fail. I need you to at least try for me… because as I am now, I can barely find the energy to stand.”

There wasn’t much time. He could feel Mikaboshi’s violence urges growing, and he would have to take the blunt of it unless he could summon up the energy. At the very least, he had one method of defense that the creature probably wasn’t expecting… but it wasn’t something that Kage wanted to employ so casually.

Mikaboshi don’t have the lips necessary to grin, but Naoto still feels it all the same, like a tingle at the back of her mind. Naoto falls forward, stopping herself short from crashing to the metallic floor face first with her arms. The pain from the claws throbbed terribly, pulsing along with her heart beat, quick and heavy. Her heart positively hammering against her chest.

From the corner of her eye, she spot the white figure wiggling on the floor, crawling closer to her side until he enters her vision. The Shadow’s words was a comfort, though his hand against her back felt heavy, she can’t move to move away from it. She can hardly move. Words jumbles, just a string of sounds that was barely audible through the rush of blood through her body.

There are many things going on in her head and the constant pull of Mikaboshi to get her under his control again was only one part of it. There are feelings being stirred up, emotions she didn’t know she is still capable of rushing through in waves. Guilt was the main one. Regret was another. Betrayed, helpless, cornered, desperation. Anger and hatred and recklessness follows close behind. She tries to keep it under control, tries her best not to be played into anyone’s hands again. Can she trust Kage? Probably. She doesn’t know anymore.

A hand shaky reaches to her lower back, the blood seeping through her shirt has already made it’s way that far. Through her slippery grip, she pulled out a small black device with a single trigger in the middle and two prongs sticking up from the top. A taser. She slide it towards her Shadow. It’s the lesser of two evils, she wager, knowing that she can’t just change in moments, in seconds. It’s just not possible for her to believe that fast, not when she had spent months thinking nothing good can come from her and years believing she’s alone in the world.

"Use this if you have to…on me." She mutters back, even as she shifts her weight, plant a foot on the floor before another and stood back up again. "Can’t promise you anything except I’ll try." She took a deep breath, turned around and faced the monster living in her mind.

She tries, like she said she would. Try to believe Kage can take down this thing. The God of Evil, as people believed, stood tall and proud and reared his arms back for another strike. And in turn, she reaches up to meet them, both arms above her head even as it tears at the injury on her back further. Their arms don’t meet, Mikaboshi strike paused in mid-air as Naoto tighten her hands to fists.

"You forget, Mikaboshi. This connection go both ways." If she have the measure of spare energy left, she would’ve smirked. Without an expressive face, there is no way to see Mikaboshi’s reaction, but she can feel it, the brief victory of his panic was a bitter one indeed.

"Get him Kage."

With undying concern for his host, Kage kept close and barely gave Mikaboshi a second thought while his other half was injured before him. Even if Mikaboshi was the problem, the ultimate goal here was to support Naoto and do for her whatever she wished. Part of the process definitely involved Naoto’s own willingness to get rid of this creature. If she didn’t wish for such a thing, then neither did Kage. Alas, it was obvious that she was trying to fight back. Regardless of her goals and whether or not they matched with Mikaboshi’s, as long as he was in her mind, Naoto wouldn’t be able to truly own her choices.

Taking his eyes off of his host’s for just a brief moment, Kage felt the passing of the taser into his hands. Ah, the modern day ray gun… Or at least, it might as well have been. The moment she handed it over to him, an ingenious light bulb blinked in the Shadow’s mind. Yes, he understood… or did he? When Naoto suggested that he use it on her, his expression immediately dropped and… well, obviously the ace detective wasn’t as cunning as he thought. “Use it on you?” he emphasized sarcastically. There would be no need for that. Not unless things got so far out of hand that there were no other options.

Bringing his arm back to his side, Kage reluctantly released Naoto from his hold when she decided to stand back up again. Holding himself up on his elbows, the little Shadow stared up at the much larger presence before him. His eyes leered mischievously, and the edges of his mouth curled into a tiny smile. “I suppose in the end, it’s really a matter of who has the stronger connection to host-kun…” he decided with a light nod, “Do you really think that you, who has no right or invitation to be within her mind, has any chance of surviving? Don’t forget where you stand, beast… You’re on my playing field.”

Given what was in Kage’s hand right now, there was no need to conserve his energy. With what he could muster, the Shadow brought himself back to his feet and panted softly, lifting the pointed ends of the taser towards his own cranium. Really? That was his brilliant idea? For someone so scared about getting short-circuited in a bath, Kage was showing no reservation at all about overloading his system with a taser. “The connection certainly does go both ways… and I have to thank you for giving me the occasional opportunity to utilize your own power, Amatsu Mikaboshi. They say that you can only cut a diamond with another diamond, after all…”

When the trigger was pulled on the taser, the overabundance of energy surging through Kage’s system was enough to send his heart racing and his lungs gasping hard for oxygen. If it weren’t for the half-biological and half-artificial make-up of his body, he would have definitely overloaded. But in unison, the biological parts acted as a buffer to keep the electrical components from frying. Still, he was dangerously charged and the only outlet that he knew of was exactly what he needed to happen right now.

Without warning, Kage’s skin expanded and tore apart as the creature many times his size lifted up as tall as Amatsu Mikaboshi. Perfectly tall, actually, since they were in essence the exact same creature. The few mutations that separated Kage from the other at least gave him another form of offense; his absolutely terrible bite. Less humanized than the real Mikaboshi, Kage’s form lurched downwards with the posture of a lycan and he swiftly jumped to the side in order to remove Naoto from his line of sight. Bounding off of the metal grating, his jaw widened and targeted Mikaboshi’s unprotected face, the taser falling down to the floor uselessly.

A fake… and a shard… But at least I’m wanted!

That… was not the intention she has for the taser, though she can’t exactly say she was surprised he used it as such. She has to remind herself that he’s different. He’s a cyborg and he clearly as a part of Mikaboshi in him to transform. If she had time, she would also wonder why he’s fighting against him too, but alas, time is short for her.

With a grunt, she kept still even as Mikaboshi wants to move. She has him pinned down for now, the puppet that pulls on the puppteer’s string to keep him still. She thought that was the best choice, just as handing Kage the taser was.

Mikaboshi himself, of course, doesn’t think so. He merely chuckles, even as the more beast-like version of himself sprung to attack him. He ceased trying to move, which should have set the first alarm bells in Naoto’s mind.

"Which of us is deeper connected with her, you ask?" He turns his gaze towards Kage as his jaws latches onto his face, ragged razors sinking deeply into the side of his head. "I think you forgot, shard, that I am her Persona…"

Which only means one thing.

Naoto screamed as the pain of the bite transferred directly onto herself. There was no teeth or fangs, but she can still feel it as Kage tears into Mikaboshi, a deep searing hot pain that spreads by points dotted along one side of her face, one for each fang. It was sudden and powerful enough to make her let go what little control of Mikaboshi movement she has, wheeling back to press her hands against the non-existent wounds.

Freed now, the more humanoid of the two copies swing his arms out, aiming to wrap his hands against Kage’s neck. His chuckling doesn’t cease, he has no reason to. He doesn’t feel any of the damage.

"Wanted? Why want something so mindless that he would hurt his own host so terribly?" He moved just a little, allowing Kage’s line of sight to include Naoto. “I’m not the one who is hurting her now, am I?”

Naoto fell to her knees again, panting desperately to override the pain. It was harsh, it still burns, she can almost feels Kage’s own jaws against her skin. She eyed the taser he had dropped on the floor.

The very fact that Kage had to deal with Mikaboshi’s form taking over his own psyche was probably one of the many reasons for why he didn’t want the darker Persona sticking around. There was certainly something unwelcoming about him, and even though Kage was provided with a vastly more powerful body because of it, it still wasn’t right. In the little Shadow’s eyes, he saw this body as nothing more than a means of combating the beast that provided it to him.

But how much could he really do…? As the sudden sounds of Naoto’s scream cried out, Kage soon realized… ‘very little’. At least, not with these sorts of methods. Easily distracted by the sound of his host’s panicked and pained screams, he very briefly lifted his jaw away from Mikaboshi’s face and tried to understand why such a noise had been made. It was true… The pain of one’s Persona would simultaneously affect their own host when they became injured. But Kage doubted that someone such as Mikaboshi would be able to have that same effect on her, since he was brought into her body through unnatural methods. Alas, a Persona was a Persona, and the pain was all too real.

“Host-kun…!” Kage shouted out as he released Mikaboshi’s face, but as he was distracted for that brief moment, his combatant had decided to take the advantage and wrap his hands around his neck. Not good… Not only did Kage have to resist physically hurting Mikaboshi, he was now the one under direct attack. His dagger-like fangs parted as he emitted a light gurgle from the choking motion, his hands raising up and gripping around the others. His pointed fingers gripped into Mikaboshi’s arms on impulse, even if he didn’t want to do it, knowing that Naoto would feel a similar pain in her arms.

“This… is still your fault…that she is in pain!” he seethed, putting a great amount of force into getting his words out, “You’re transferring it to her…”

It was questionable whether or not the choking feeling in Kage’s throat would transfer to Naoto as well. The majority of him hoped that it wouldn’t… but a very small piece of him wished that it did, as a subtle reminder that he was still a part of her, no matter how small.

A small thread of saliva escaped from the corner of his muzzle as he tried to pull the hands away from his throat, the rest of him going limp. “I am… wanted…”

Naoto was bombarded by a series of sensations that followed, none of which was pleasant. The sting in her arms from Kage’s fingers digging into Mikaboshi, to the sharp gasp of breath she need to take as her throat constrict on itself, as if she’s the one being choked. A hand moved up to her own neck, feeling nothing there but the sensation continues. She chokes, took deep gasp, and reached out desperately for the taser lying just a little distant away.

Her eyes waters, her head pounded. So this is what happens when a Shadow and a Persona are directly at war with one another. Helplessly looking up as Mikaboshi grips onto Kage’s neck, digging his fingers into the familiar flesh, the ‘Persona’ only chuckled. "It wouldn’t matter soon…"

Naoto feels a cold chill down her back, watching Kage’s body going limp. Her fingers curls around the small black device as she stood on her shaky legs. A hand frantically ripping open the collars of her shirt and tie, any other plans she has is now reduced to a simple black and white. Who to stop and who to help.

Distracted, Mikaboshi didn’t have time to react when Naoto slammed into his side. He had even less time to react when she jammed the taser against the side of his neck. Naoto can feel the pain from the small device, two burning spot on her own neck that sends jolts of it up and down her spine. The electric current that it produces made Mikaboshi let go, as his limbs starts to flail. The pain transfers, but the effect are his. Naoto presses the taser harder, even as her eyes tears up from the sheer amount of pain she’s inflicting. “It’s about time you shut up!” She yelled, let memories and buried feelings power her for as long as she could before her arms finally dropped by her side.

Mikaboshi took a step back and stumbles to the floor in a mess of limbs and electric currents.

Kage could feel his consciousness beginning to slip as Mikaboshi’s grip tightened around him, completely blocking off his airway and at the same time, his ability to speak. All he could do was helplessly open and close his jaws, light sputters of force being emitted from the back of his throat. His hands were unable to remove Mikaboshi’s firm grip, so his last option was to try and knock out the parasite with his fists. He made a few punches at the others’ cranium, but unfortunately, every punch was weak from his own light-headedness and pain.

Making no notice at all when Naoto brought herself back to her feet, taser in hand, the Shadow was caught off guard by the overload of sensations that were already rattling his body. His heart was beating hard from the lack of oxygen, and the sudden jolt of pain from the shared experience of getting shocked in the neck was enough to make him lose it entirely. Had he a pair of eyes, they would have rolled back as his jaw went slack, his body collapsing to the floor when Mikaboshi’s crushing grip finally let go.

With the both of them splayed across the floor, Kage’s unconscious body automatically reverted back to his human-like appearance, but he made no movements at all. In this state, it was obvious to see that he wasn’t breathing at all, not even lightly. Thankfully his heart was still beating, but the intense overload along with the prolonged lack of oxygen had caused his lungs to fail, leaving him in critical condition. The chance of his lungs taking a gasp of air on their own right was very thin considering how weak they were, with all of his body’s energy being directed into keeping his heart beating. But that wouldn’t last for long in this situation, either.

Naoto dropped to her knees, her vision blurred as her body took in everything that had happened; the shock itself makes her muscles spasm, the pain burns against her neck and back and arms. Everything aches, from her throat to her toes, her breathing coming in large irregular gasps.

Leaving the flailing body of Mikaboshi behind, she catches something white from the corner of her eyes. Kage. It doesn’t take a genius to realize he isn’t moving, lying perfectly still. Not breathing, which explain why her lunges feels so heavy, almost like a compensation. Her head feels so light…

She crawls over to him, not trusting her legs would be able to take her own weight, light as she is. She have to fight off the urge to simply hold him and panic, opting for what she does best now her head is momentarily cleared of noises and conflict. She puts a hand on his neck, finding a pulse that only jumps every so often. Steadying her shakily, aching hands, she tipped his head back. He still has a heartbeat even if he isn’t breathing, and she tries to figure out what to do. Her own head was light and hazy, still sorting out her own body and it’s tangled web of sensation that comes from all of them.

Kage looks so much like her with his eyes closed, it almost made Naoto forget he’s part mechanical, but with no time to debate whether this will work for cyborg or not, she went ahead with it anyway. Tipping his jaw open, she covered his nose and covered his mouth with hers and breathed as deeply as her own struggling lunges can.

She’s at least thankful CPR was drilled into her muscle memories at this point.

Being a creature of the subconscious, and a cyborg at that, Kage was a little peculiar when it came to the ideas of conscious and unconscious. In truth, even if his biological body had been knocked out from the lack of oxygen, his electronic brain was still very much awake. It was an unnerving feeling, being unable to resuscitate himself even though he was aware that he needed air. In the end, even if he willed it, his body refused to breathe when he told it to.

His mind clouded over in a panic, given the fact that he couldn’t see through closed eyes, and at the same time he couldn’t tell if Mikaboshi was still a threat. His body could be in a terminal state, or maybe it was already dead? Like Noir had given herself before… 15 or 20 minutes without it, and he would be lost. Alas, he sensed a presence, one that he was always able to tell whether she was near or not. His host was close. Quite close. Very close…?

Caught off guard by the sudden flow of oxygen through his system, his collapsed lungs weakly regained their strength and he took in a sharp breath the instant he had the chance, eyes widening back open. Looking to the side, he gave off a few faltered coughs, his body shaking tremendously from the jostle to his system. One of many, anyways. When the fit of coughs subsided, he looked back up to his rescuer with weak breaths and shook his head, “… Who said you had to stop?” Wonderful, Kage. Jokes aside, he began to eyeball around the room for any sight of that devilish parasite. Were they safe…? “You saved us both… though, by painful means. Thank you, host-kun…”

The sudden gasp of breath can only be a good sign and Naoto drew back with a gasp of her own. As Kage’s body jolt back to life, she turned his body to the side with some effort, and held him as such until his coughing fit subsides. Her arms shook violently, pulling at strength it shouldn’t have anymore. When he had calmed down, she set him back on his back again and gave him a tired smile.

"You’re alright Kage." She said, more to herself than him. If he can joke, he’ll be fine now, she hope. A hand patted his head idly as she shook her head. Thanking her? For what? Getting them almost killed again? "You don’t have to thank me. I got us into this mess…"

She looked up at the tangle of green, black and white. Mikaboshi haven’t gotten back up on his feet yet, but he had also stopped flailing. “We’re not safe yet. As long as I’m conscious, we’ll never be safe.”

The small black device had landed somewhere on the other side of Kage, giving of a quiet buzz as the electric current is still active. Naoto tired eyes trained on it before turning to Kage. “I don’t think either of us can move, so how about we finish for the day?” She’s one electric shock away from collapsing, and it might as well be under her own terms. “I could use some sleep.”

Kage set a hand against his sore neck and wondered if he would be alright to stand… At least for now, he figured it wouldn’t be a bad idea to lie down for a while.

“I would rather blame Mikaboshi, not yourself… Unless you truly wished for such a thing to happen. But considering the fact that I’m still here, I doubt that’s the truth…” he answered, looking over at the creature that was just as wrecked from the experience as they were. Undoubtedly, all of them could use a little rest. There would be no forward progress in this state. But perhaps… there could be progress in sleep.

Following Naoto’s gaze, Kage noticed the taser that had been left on the floor, and the sight of it alone made him curl up his nose. Though it had ultimately saved their lives, it was a painful thing and never the first resort. Kage shook his head slowly and pushed the taser away a little bit, while his other hand rested against her forehead and down across her tired eyes, “Then… just sleep.” He smiled lightly and brought both draping sleeves around her, lying back, “It’ll be fine.”

Truthfully, it was a bit of a gamble… If Naoto couldn’t fall asleep, or fast enough, Mikaboshi would likely cause some sort of annoyance again. Or perhaps he too would be tired enough to let it go… Kage hoped for that.

“I’ll see you in your sleep…”

As she was pulled down against Kage, Naoto can’t keep her eyes away from the tangled form of Mikaboshi. Sore and tired, but her adrenaline still rolling through her veins, she struggled to make herself feel at ease enough to drift off. The cold hard floor was a reminder she’s in the base, as is the green around them and the dull light.

Trying to sleep now feels impossible. Her back ached, her shirt clung to her skin and a threat is still physically present.

A hand reached up and clung to Kage’s lab coat, her eyes wide and darting around the lab. “I… I can’t.” She breathed out, calming her own breathing at least, but her mind is all the more aware now that she wanted to sleep.

A short distance away, Mikaboshi made something of an inhuman groan and twitched slightly on the floor. Naoto can feel herself panicking again, ready to move against the protest of her body when she also felt a peculiar sensation. The same old feather light touches that always calms her now spreading a soothing wave from her neck down her spine.

With the struggle between Mikaboshi and Kage, Naoto have forgotten a third but equally important part of this conflict: Sukuna-Hikona, the presence that never leaves her mind. If she concentrate now, she can almost feel tiny hands rubbing against the muscles of her shoulders, coaxing her to sleep.

With a quiet sigh, she closes her eyes and settles herself against Kage, nuzzling against his neck and tries to forget she’s not in the cold metallic lab, sleeping on the floor with a cyborg Shadow and trying to stop the sinister forces at work in her mind ready to murder them should he see fit.

The absurdity of the situation is most certainly not lost to Naoto herself. “Let’s hope it turns out better there…”

It didn’t take any sort of special connection for Kage to notice how uneasy Naoto was, and how impossible it would be for her to fall asleep under these conditions. With Mikaboshi fully capable of coming to and their bodies all in disarray from the electric shocks, even a comfortable bed would be difficult to find any sleep on. It was silly of him to expect her to just drift off, but thankfully, that wasn’t what he was expecting at all. “You can…” he whispered back.

Remaining completely stationary and feigning his own attempts at falling asleep, Kage blindly released the two, thin cables from his back, their forms silently sneaking out from under his lab coat. Holding her close in his arms, he hoped that she wouldn’t be alarmed (or even notice) as the tendrils slithered up behind her and against the base of her neck where they rested. Indeed, the electric charge from a taser would be too extreme of a shock to put Naoto politely to sleep… so perhaps this was better. It would be a more precise, dulled charge that instilled the need to sleep, like a dose of electric morphine. If nothing else, Kage would be able to pass on his own tired feelings to her, and with the cords present, it might be possible for Kage to address Mikaboshi in a different realm. One that would hopefully stop bringing such harm to Naoto…

The fight from earlier had left Kage with little energy, and as he attempted to bringing Naoto to sleep with him, he felt himself slowly drifting off as well. Cold, steel floor or not… He may have been used to a comfortable bed, but if Noir could sleep in such unconventional places, then he could too.

Naoto kept her eyes closed despite the constantly desire to open them, to make certain Mikaboshi remain on the floor. But even if Mikaboshi gets back up, there is hardly anything the two of them can do. Exhausted and battered as they both are, it is highly unlikely they can stop the malicious entity before them physically.

Though that doesn’t seems necessary soon. Naoto dulled senses didn’t quite pick up the tendrils sneaking along her back. Her shirt was coated in drying blood, the claw marks along her back from earlier having slowly stopped bleeding. When she felt the strange tendril rest against the back of her neck, whatever alarm she would have was too late to stop the small shock. It was gradual and strangely soothing at this point. With a deep breath and a little shifting, Naoto formerly forcefully shut eyes relaxed and her breathing evens out.

Mikaboshi could probably feel it happening and with a jerk, reared it’s head back in a roar. Maybe it was anger or maybe it was trying to keep Naoto conscious, but soon he too faded from existence as Naoto conscious slips away.

Naoto can feel herself falling in a darkness that was growing familiar. The sensation of falling asleep was usually one she embrace whole-heartedly. Though this time, the sense of urgency lingers with her. A sensation that was helped only when a pair of small hands touches her cheeks and something blue appears, fluttering. There is no visual as much as there is. The transition from one to another was suppose to be flawless but less so now, with the sense of purpose filling her.

When she next can ‘see’ again, she herself was different. When she moves, her arms feels stronger, her legs steady and knowledge came briefly to her mind. She’s in a blue suit with blue shorts. She have wings-like cape. She have a weapon in her hand.

She can’t see these changes though, just know that there is changes. It’s as if things changed point-of-view. What she is aware of though is she’s in the middle of nowhere. She vaguely know she’s asleep in reality, but that’s all she knew.

There is a familiar presence around. In the distance, a green and black form stood almost glowing in the dark. And without even needing to speak or examine them, Naoto knows they are angry.

Mikaboshi is angry and she don’t know what to do as he charges towards her.

The transition of environment was both familiar and strange to Kage, since he had never experienced falling asleep with his host at the exact same time. It was true that whenever he slept, he could only dream whenever Naoto was dreaming, otherwise his mind would be a blank and he would wake up feeling a little less rested than he could have. Sleeping simultaneously was a good thing for them. But that surreal moment between being awake and asleep wasn’t commonly experienced at the same time. Nor was this a land for his conscious body.

Finding his footing in a world that lacked any sort of light, Kage brought his hands up and gripped his face which was quickly enveloped with a searing pain. He curled together for a moment, jaw going slack as his body disproportioned itself into the parasitic form of Amatsu Mikaboshi. Lab coat and all disappeared with him, and as he stood up again, he rubbed away the light layer of fluid, blood?, which obstructed his nostrils. Thank goodness the lack of light made no difference to him here, as he lacked any eyes for visual definition. But light wasn’t what made up the images in his head; rather, he could see through scent. Picking up the location of where the two others had dropped, he quickly made his way there before the situation got dire. Ah, just in time, too.

He raced after the charging form of his counterpart and kicked off the ground, his thick shoulder aimed at the other as he tried to tackle him back to the ground. If Naoto could see the very faint blue glow of the spirals around Kage’s body, she would see for a split second, as if he were in slow motion while in mid-air, his arm waving a ‘Hello again, host-kun!’ before he made harsh contact with Mikaboshi. His feet tried to plant against the other’s knees, to get him as immobilized as he possibly could. Even the familiar tails had retained their appearance here, and the two of them spread out to find any stray limbs to distract. “Round two… You never seem to get tired, do you…?” he spoke out through a lisp due to the array of elongated teeth.

The charging beast towards Naoto was knocked over by something almost the same size as itself. Long limbs with faintly glowing spirals sprayed on the ‘floor’ before Naoto’s eyes.

The detective was at a lose, unsure what’s happening. She’s aware this isn’t real, that this is all in her mind, as per the plan. She’s asleep back at the base and this fight is now strictly limited to her psych. But it was unfamiliar. She usually have Sukuna-Hikona by her side as she confronts Amatsu-Mikaboshi, but now the small blue Persona is nowhere to be seen.

Instead, as she looks at her hands, wondering how to help Kage subdue the renegade leech in her mind, the sight that greet her was a pair of bandage-covered hands. The hands was attached to blue cuffs and extend, bit by bit as her awareness grew, to a body in a blue suit. She was dressed like Sukuna-Hikona.

And as the realization settles in, a small metallic tub appears in her hand. She knew this must be the sword Sukuna uses, and as if to confirm it for her, it lights up with a large beam of light. The ‘sword’ is longer than she is!

Weapon in hand, she makes her way over to the struggling two on the floor, her feet doesn’t feel like they even touch the ‘floor’.

Mikaboshi can see and he can clearly see the light off the saber in Naoto’s hands. With an angry grunt, he tries to raise himself from underneath Kage. It was futile, Kage had the advantage of surprise and took it, almost pinning him down. Though watching the sword appearing in Naoto’s hands gave him an idea of his own.

"No. Not Round Two. This ends here, shard!" And with a thunderous roar, he moved. Or… he didn’t. But their surroundings did, the darkness tearing away and moved as if it has a mind of his own. Tentacles formed out of the same darkness around them and wrap itself around Kage’s torso, trying to toss him away with a might swing. "You forget. I’m part of this psych now. I’m closer to it than you will ever be!"

Despite the distraction of having to keep Mikaboshi pinned down, Kage could tell that Naoto was close, and that something was different about her. Not just physically, since in this realm, anything physical was nothing more than a mental illusion, but from the truest part of her mind which was hers alone. Was Naoto different when she slept…? Perhaps, unaware that she could connect to the greater powers of her psyche in this state? Even if it was just a guess, Kage had not expected this much out of their sudden transition to the mental realm. He wanted her body safe, but that was all he could promise here. Her mind itself was still very vulnerable, and any exertion in this world still felt draining, unsettling, and perhaps even painful.

Poised on top of the other, he braced for whatever tricks might be up Mikaboshi’s sleeves. Unfortunately, there wasn’t much that could be done in regards to the shifting world around them. The creature before him seemed to have a heavy influence here.

Feeling the dark appendages wrapping around his chest, his lanky, pointed fingers gripped instinctively for two things. One, Mikaboshi’s shoulder, and two, the tentacles around him. It was unlikely that he’d be able to get a good enough grip on Mikaboshi to get him anywhere, especially with the thick plating of his shoulder, but he would definitely cling for dear life onto the appendage around him. All of his nails sunk into it, and even though he was a little disoriented from the attempt at being thrown, he refused to let go of it.

Even within his struggle, he winced over the use of that nickname for the umpteenth time, “Shard… is inaccurate…! You’re insinuating that… that I’ve broken off. That I’m no longer a part of host-kun, b-but… that’s a lie! I’ll always be… a part. A ‘connected’ part, and that means you’re just as close to me… as you are to her,” he spoke lowly, fingers digging into his restraint, though he was ready to rip away from it if it started taking him too far away, “And vice versa… So, expose yourself to me!”

Curious to see if the substance he was gripping onto now had any relevance to Mikaboshi’s own psyche, he held onto it and released the jabbing tendrils from his own backside within it. These extensions of his spine were incredibly sensitive to neurological currents, and if being within Naoto’s subconscious alone wasn’t enough to get him more information on Mikaboshi, then this was his next option. Where did this thing come from? What was it, and where had it connected to Naoto…? Beating it to a pulp wasn’t going to get anything done. He needed to get to the core of the matter if he wanted to make a difference.

The sudden movement of the world around them made Naoto halt in her approach. Unlike the two before her, she’s unused to deal with her mind in such a direct way. Sure she has entered a state where she sometime get in contact with Sukuna-Hikona, but anything else beyond that is all new. The forced movement around them, that is to say, her psych, made her head respond with a dull ache. It wasn’t a literal ache, as much as it was one she think she should have, because this place should belong to her…

An idea slowly forms itself. She looked over at Kage, now suspended by dark tentacles. She focused. “Come on Sukuna-Hikona. Lend me your strength…” She closes her ‘eyes’ to focus, the simply act of switching off her imaginary perceived sights made her feel like she’s part of the scenery they’re in.

The world around them suddenly brightens up like the sun was just switched on. There is a land underneath them and a sky above them. When she allow sight back again, the surrounding is bright enough for her to identify the two.

Mikaboshi have to shield his eyes from the light, so used to perceiving with ‘eyes’ like Naoto that he was blinded by the switch. This distracted him enough that as the two jabbing tendrils, he let out a surprised cry. Even if he has control and know Naoto every move, Kage in this case has become a wild card in the mix.

What Kage will feel, if he digs enough, is a falling feeling that felt endless. There is something at the very bottom, if he clung to the tentacles long enough, but reaching the bottom would reduce his own mind into a sluggish and unpleasant state. The bottom holds an atmosphere that feels extremely oppressive and dank. It has an oil-like substances, black and liquid like. It seeps and crawls and if Kage made contact with it, it will tries to cover him and suffocate him in a desperate attempt to escape.

Mikaboshi is part of Naoto’s mind, but also a mind of his own. It’s duel nature allows him to physically attempt to throw Kage off and disconnect the Shadow’s attempt to reach his own psych.

But of course, Naoto can’t have any of that either as she rushes forward, the beam sword in hand and try to deal with Mikaboshi herself, hoping to give Kage enough time to get somewhere with his connections.

Kage’s struggling became nothing more than an occasional attempt at seeing just how tight his restraints were. For the most part, it felt like he wasn’t going to be able to escape from it with brute force alone. He’d have to cut through the matter, but he was still unsure of exactly what this stuff was. His jaw clenched together in alarm as he heard the surprised sounds from Mikaboshi. He was visually unaware of what changes had been made, and if that’s all there was, then it would seem no different to him. At the very least, he could sense the mental clarity that Naoto was experiencing. She could see… Yes, it must have been difficult for her to first perceive everything in this realm. The subconscious mind was a land of darkness, resisting opening itself up to the conscious mind. Where she could see now was nothing more than a fragment, a stage which would eventually serve as the same resting spot for the memories which would pass here.

With the two of them momentarily distracted, Kage knew that he’d have to put an effort into his mental research now if he was going to get anywhere with it. He sensed danger holding onto him, and the realization that at any time, Mikaboshi could probably squeeze the very life out of him. Kage could feel something balling up in his stomach, a pressure from all the restraints. “Where did you come from…?” he questioned internally, though as it seemed, that very same question would end up projected as a soft whisper in the air. He winced, blindly searching until he felt like the ground beneath him was shattering. That sensation of falling that would startle anyone awake… but he did not awaken from it. He continued to fall, and the resulting feeling was turning traumatic.

His body writhed, fists clenching and unclenching as a consuming feeling crept up against him. Something was wrong… but also very right. This was the direction he needed to go… but it was dangerous. Extremely dangerous. No matter what he learned, it would mean nothing if he lost himself into a coma, or an eternal sleep. The pitted feeling in his stomach felt like it was expanding, as if his stomach was about to leap from his throat. But the restraints were not tightening at all… Lifting his shoulders up, he felt a sudden gag in this back of his throat forcing him to widen his mouth and heave. With a choking noise in his throat, he twitched a few times until the result came out. Multiple shiny limbs emerged and crawled out along his tongue, followed by the segmented body of a tiny mechanical caterpillar. It was visible for only a brief moment as it leapt from his mouth like a diving board and into the floor below, concealing itself inside it with its two whip-like tails being the last to submerge in the ground that liquefied around its body.

Kage continued to breathe heavily, regaining some form of composure. It would be the best he’d have to be, because he was ready to fall as far as necessary now. As if cutting the life-line into a pit, he plummeted.

The stink would hit first, as Kage plummet further down. It’s a gut-churning scent, not unlike burnt flesh but also laced with many other things: the condensed smell of fat and blood being spilled from an open wound, the fresh scent of grass, the deeply acidic smell of vomit, the scent of millions of different types of flowers, so many so many. It all mixed together, the pleasant and the disgusting, and many more that no one can place. Do you still want to fall?

The scenery around them appeared normal at first but Naoto knew deep down it was impossible. And as soon as that thought had entered her mind, the scene changed, shifting like the flow of her consciousness. There is darkness in the ‘ground’ and in the ‘sky’ as if pieces was missing. Like the stage around them wasn’t completed, or corrupted.

Next came the sound, it’s tremendously loud burst of scream and laughter. There was all variety of it, scream of pain, scream of joy and everything in between. And the same with the laughter, laughter of madness, laughter of happiness. And there is chatters in between and all around, words and languages and gurgles of a baby and gurgles of someone choking on their last breath. It’s all there and it’s all so uncomfortably loud and unnervingly quiet. How far are you willing to go?

Catching the brief appearance of the mechanical bug as it dived from Kage’s mouth to the floor, Naoto didn’t allow herself to focus on that. Focusing on that would mean Mikaboshi would have clarity of it, and now of all times, any information they could hide from him is an advantage.

Then came the taste. It invades your tongue, even if you don’t have one. It crawls down your throat and into your mind, setting it on fire as you taste the flames and freezing your mind as it shift to ice. There are a million of things as well, flesh and bread and someone’s middle toe. It’s all there, lingering for a second before it moves on to the next. Things that move when you taste them, things that wiggles and things that walk. The taste of movement, the taste of sound. It forces it’s way in, drinking itself to your throat. Will the falling ever end?

With his attention still shifting between disconnecting Kage, Naoto moved in with the light saber. The handle wasn’t much of a handle, and felt odd in her palm but she swung the beam of light with all her might against Mikaboshi’s torso. Where it connects, steam rose and the beam of light sinks in, like a hot knife to butter. When it cut through the body, Naoto wasn’t sure what she expects. Did she harm Mikaboshi? Or did it just harm herself? Her answer came soon enough: neither. The gaping hole to it’s torso simply sealed up with a gurgle, the oil-like consistency folding in on itself until it was as if the hole was never there.

Now you see it, even when you don’t have eyes. How is that possible, right? There is darkness and there is light, and all the colours in between. There is shapes and scenes and utter chaos, but some look familiar. Faces and events you have seen before, like the atmosphere sneaked into your brain and took memories to show you. If you focus on any one picture, your senses follow and you live it again. So many memories, pasted before your eyes, moving out of and into your grasp. Will you stop here?

Naoto ‘looked’ up to a grin that would have split Mikaboshi’s face apart if he had lips or a jaw. Instead, he moved his arms and the stage around them moved. The darkness, the broken pieces of the stage, heaved itself up and sailed like a wave, crashing into her side and sending her sliding across the floor. Her side ached dully, but stopped once she focus on perceiving that and got on her feet. “You can’t hurt me here…”

And lastly, you feel it. You feel the oily drips of darkness from above you, from below you, from all around you, encasing you like a ball. It crawls along your skin, desperate to throw you out as much as wanting you to stay. It crawls up to your neck, but it stops. Then it solidifies slightly to wrap itself around your neck. The oppression feels stronger the second a pair of green eyes stares back at you from the deep. Get. Out.

Mikaboshi only leaned forward, bending his rubbery back towards the tiny form of Naoto in this corrupted stage they’re fighting on. "Are you so sure? A death in the mind is a death for real, after all. It is so easy to trick it…"

The lengthy journey through Naoto’s corrupted subconscious began, a journey which was sure to feel like forever and the sensations to follow would equally feel like unending torture. But there could be no quick fix to this situation, and Kage was set on discovering the truth for himself. Even if it meant enduring the worst sorts of pains and corruption himself. From beginning to end, all he could do was think pleasant thoughts… which was a somewhat difficult task for a Shadow considering the nature of his being. Indeed, the fact that a thrown away, aberrant part of Naoto was one of her few remaining shreds of hope… was a pretty big indication of how bad it had all gotten.

The first indication that something was wrong came to him through his nasals. If there was a tinge of rotting within the scent that he discovered, then Kage would definitely be caught off guard and find it unappealing. But otherwise, he actually found the blood and bodily smells to be quite tantalizing. And familiar… Humans may have had their own particular smells on the outside, but on the inside, it was all the same. Overpowering, and drenched with the smells of iron, mucus and meat. The smell of vomit was the only thing that turned him away, since the stomach was one part of the meal that was typically avoided.

Then, the sounds. The obnoxiously loud burst of noise startled him to full attention like an alarm clock, a sensation which he was quite uncomfortable with. Aside from the fact that he preferred waking up without an alarm, Kage was rather unadjusted to loud noises. His audio receivers tended to adjust his hearing so that nothing was too soft or too loud, so it was a sensation that he wasn’t used to. It was unfortunate to say that he was already so unnerved at this point…

His lips parted at the next stage, tongue seeping out from his mouth as his jaw twitched mindlessly from the onslaught of tastes that he had an impossible time recognizing. Every bit of it was surreal and new, and if he knew what even half of these were, it might not be so bad of an experience. But he was confused… Greatly confused. Of course, to the Naoto that was outside of all of this and watching him, she’d be able to see that a lot of this was having an uncomfortable, physical effect on him. His hands clenched into fists, and his head swayed lightly from side to side as he tried to cope with the overbearing sensations.

At one point, he seemed to finally get a moment of rest… Physically, anyways. His body went still as a flash of images played out before him, things that seemed rather harmless and unable to hurt him, but there were a few alarming and saddening memories that played out as well. Still, he would not be convinced by their trickery, and he took a moment to breathe, his thick chest rising and falling against the dark confines that held him.

But that was the calm before the storm… Before Kage could expect it, a sensation so visceral and real crept upon him and began to threaten his very safety. Clamps, restrains, crawling touches and pain… He began to breathe harder again as the feeling crept up against him and tightened the hardest around his neck, causing him to give off a slight choke. Was any of this even happening…? No, no he had to convince himself that it wasn’t… This was all a trick of the mind. All of it had been. He couldn’t die here… Even if the words Mikaboshi spewed out to Naoto suggested otherwise, Kage would not believe it. If anything, that only convinced him more that death could be cheated here as well.

“None of this… exists…” he muttered out, a string of words that tried to resist the choking feeling and emit perfectly clear. His arms tried to move… His eyes tried to focus on what was really in front of him. To taste it, smell it, understand it… The truth, the real. To bury away all the aches, stenches, visuals and rotten tastes… because none of this was real. His gaze fell forwards, locked on the green eyes that he had at once noticed when the sensation of touch threatened to choke him. “You’re not… a part of us…”

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