Chapter 3:

Rebirth

Below the City of Akihabara(BTCOT)|Alt: A Reborn Otaku, I fight demons and comfort little kids


[2 mins later, 5:02 PM] I wake up on my stomach. I roll over and gasp. Chunks of the chopper have embedded themselves in the box. All the gas has burned off. I realize I have legs. So I'm dead…cool. I wonder…

I snap and the box, as well as the rest of the light shards, disappear. Okay…powers, check. Eyesight…still poor.

I search for my glasses and find them. Other than the lenses being cracked, they're in good condition. I look at the door and see my parents. They look like they've seen a ghost, and they're looking right at me. I laugh. I guess they have seen a ghost!

"Hi!"

I jump. A few feet away stands the girl I saw earlier. She looks familiar. Then it clicks. "You look like Miss Kobayashi!"

She laughs. "That's because I am Miss Kobayashi…you can call me Koba."

It's my turn to laugh. "Right…next you'll be telling me that Kanna and Tohru-senpai are real!"

She looks like I slapped her in the face. "Um…they are"

I walk towards the house. She yells after me. "Where are you going?"

"To finish celebrating my brother's birthday."

I think of Michiru-senpai and reach into the neck of my shirt. My fingers close on empty air. My locket!

"Scratch that… I'm digging through that pile of jagged metal to find my locket…assuming I can even pick things up."

"Had you not said that last part, I would've thought you didn't know you were dead…"

"Of course I know I'm dead…I have legs, legs that were shredded while I was still conscious. For your information, it hurt…a lot!"

I walk over to the debris, leaving her in shocked silence. I contemplate the scorched scrap heap and realize there's an easier way. I raise my arms from my sides, palms up. All of the rubble from the chopper lifts off from the ground and swirls in the sky above me. My locket falls…onto my foot. "Ow!"

I lose my concentration. I pick up my locket and play Dodge the Falling Objects: Sharp Metal Edition! 'Koba' laughs. "If I sprouted angel wings, would you believe I was real?"

"Yes, actually."

She unfolds her wings. Where was she hiding those?

My jaw drops. "They're…beautiful…okay, you win…but I still don't believe that Kanna or Tohru exists. Next, you'll be saying every female anime character exists, even Senko-san, and that…that Lady Sora is your boss!"

"A) Actually, all anime characters, even OC’s, exist. B) She does, and C) She is."

I scoff. "When I was alive, I had started watching your anime, but…never finished it. Guess I never will."

"Don't be so sure. Come with me, I'll explain on the way."

I put my locket on, tuck it under my shirt, and comply. "You died saving innocent people. As a result, you were chosen to be the first male faerie in centuries!"

I blanch. (O_O) "F-f-fairy?"

"No. Faerie."

She enunciates it fay-ree. "Oh… Why am I the first in centuries?"

"No offense, but guys don't partake in much kindness and sacrifice…so most faeries are inherently female."

Then I process what she said. (O-O) "What do you mean inherently?"

"You look smart, figure it out."

"That is stereotyping…but I am…so…" I think for a moment. I gasp. "One hint…I guess you're not talking about genes?"

"There are some that were born faeries…but no."

"You're granting my long-held wish to be female?"

"Aside from the fact that I didn't know it was your wish…yes."

I do a fist pump. Then Koba drops the hammer. "…but it's not me doing it…"

My face falls. "Awwww…"

"From what you've told me, you'll like the person on duty way better."

I wrack my brain. "Kanna-chan?"

"Oh…sorry, it's…Tohru."

Her expression reads sympathy. Just then, we hear a loud, bloodcurdling scream. Me and Koba exchange looks of horror. I run back, pouring on the speed. When I get to the edge of the woods, I stop. Life had given me a slap in the face. While we were walking, Michiru, my girlfriend, had finally arrived. She sits on her legs in front of the wreck, tears streaming down her face, her locket in her hand. She gazes intently at the wreckage. She's looking for my locket…"Hey Koba…"

"Hm?"

"Can I touch people?"

"Yes."

I walk over to Michiru, purposefully snapping a twig.

She speaks through sobs. "Go away! Let me grieve in peace!"

I put my hand on her shoulder. "Don't touch me!"

She jerks away from my touch. I look at Koba, who moves her mouth and points to her throat. "Michiru…it's me."

She sniffles and gasps. "N-Noah?"

"The one and only."

She tentatively reaches to touch my leg and jerks back when she encounters resistance. "You're…solid."

"Very much so, yes."

She starts sobbing again. "What's wrong?"

"I c-c-can't f-find y-your l-lock-ket!"

She cries into my leg. I crouch. "Look at me."

I pull out the locket. "I have it."

I hear yelling. I look at Koba. She taps her wrist, taps her wings, points at me, and points up. "Sorry, senpai. I have to go. I wonder if I show up on camera…"

She pulls out her phone and takes a picture. I show up, outlined in ethereal blue. "Well, you finally have a picture to put on the other side of your locket." I give her a hug. "I'll try to come back, promise."

I pull away. "Go inside…it's cold out here, the metal is sharp, and a coral snake played a part in my death. After that, it was just a sacrifice."

She gives me a kiss on the cheek and runs inside. She watches me walk to the woods. "Can she see you, Koba?"

"By policy, no… but how's she still able to see you?"

I knew love was a powerful bond. In answer, I pull out my locket. She realizes that our lockets are identical. "Your lover?" She asks.

I open my locket to make sure the photo is undamaged. I close it and solemnly nod. "That explains it. Question?"

"Hm?"

"That thing with the wreckage. Were you able to do that when you were…"

"Alive? Yes, but nowhere near as easily."

I wonder… I hear in her voice. We walk back into the woods.

I look at her with a confused look, "I'm sorry, did you say something?"

"No…"

"But I could've sworn you just said 'I wonder…'"

She blanches. Testing, can you hear me, Noah?

"Yes, actually. And unless you're a ventriloquist, I'm hearing your thoughts, which was outside of my very limited range of extrasensory abilities in life."

"All faeries gain powers when they die. Yours apparently built on what you already had, improving your psionic capabilities."

She stops. "How are we doing this? And do I get wings?" I ask.

"A) with how you died, you will be a demon, which means yes. B)…"

She grins evilly. I nearly pee myself. "You…genuinely scare me, which is a thing I commend you for. Also, aren't demons and faeries enemies?"

"A) That's a fairy stereotype, and b) Yes. However, it just refers to your abilities, and how you died. Your wings won't look like mine, but you will get wings."

She jumps on my back, throwing her arms around my neck and wrapping her legs around my waist. She flaps her wings, and we rise into the air. We fly through the clouds. When we break through the clouds, I'm temporarily blinded. We land, and my impromptu jetpack detaches. My eyes adjust, causing me to gasp. "Welcome to Tsuchakia."

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