Who Are You?

 “Marcel...” said Jin.

It was like an apparition; foreboding: the boy arrived, leaping through the silver sky as the hailstorm subsided. A rising fog permeated every surrounding, seeping forward from the woods in a thick, white wave, and attaching to Marcel softly as his sentai uniform rippled in the breeze like a coursing river; his mirror fan reflecting the muted light with every movement.

He landed gracefully, between the two stone lanterns at the base of the deck steps, as the last drops of hail beat a primal song on the roof of the shrine. His electroplated eyes, analytic and distant, scanned the group.

“Marcel?” asked Debuu-ni cautiously. “Did you accept Truck-kun's proposal?”

The boy, whose gaze was fixated on Jin, detached it from him to look at Debuu-ni.

“Guardian.” he said, his voice straight and narrow. “I'm here to start my mission.”

A blanket of silence fell on the shrine. Inês and Lu raised to their feet without a word, watching the scene unfold with attention. Jin, who had been standing on the deck the whole time, descended the wooden steps slowly, his yukata flowing in concert with the wind. He stopped a mere centimeters away from Marcel, their faces breaths away.

“Why?” he asked, his voice loud, but trembling. “Why would you abandon our fight for a fantasy?” he started tearing up. “Why would you give us up after everything we've been through?”

Aloof, Marcel looked down at Jin with a stony gaze. He stood like a stake, with his feet planted still and square on the ground.

“You said you loved me.” Jin recounted, his voice breaking halfway through. “You said we'd make it out of here together.”

A glimmer passed behind Marcel's eyes; he flickered a quick instant, then composed himself and asked: “Who are you?”

The question was simple and it was asked in an impassive tone, but Inês could've sworn she heard Jin break. He extended for Marcel, but the latter deflected his reach with a brisk movement.

“You shouldn't go for people like that.” he said. “You might upset them.”

Marcel walked past Jin. The latter's head hung low, but he remained quiet and steady.

“I was told you would possibly offer me guidance.” he said calmly, addressing Debuu-ni.

“I think you're under someone else's care right now.” responded the bug.

Marcel took a breath and looked around. Lu shifted and averted his gaze; Inês could feel how tense and uncomfortable she was. She maintained eye contact, though, she was more indignant and revolted than anything else.

“I have places to be.” he said. “People to save.”

He started walking away, and with one half-look over his shoulder, he added: “You should have let yourselves see the light. We could have been a team.”

And just like that, he sprang through the mist, piercing the sky with tender velocity. In his wake, a heartrending cry resonated with great pain. The fog closed on Marcel like a curtain call, and Jin fell to his knees, hitting the stone pathway with his fists, tears streaming down his face as he did. Inês and Lu ran to his side, each posted on either flank, trying as well as they could to comfort their grieving friend.

“His memory's been edited, but maybe it can be brought back.” said Inês. “Right?” she asked Debuu-ni.

The bug fluttered to the group, his little pompon tail shaking as he did. He seemed hesitant.

“I... I don't know.” he answered.

“If there's anything that can be done, we'll do it.” said Lu.

“We will.” assured Debuu-ni. “Starting with the three of you.”

Inês and Lu looked at the bug with a quizzical expression.

“Get ready: we're making you into warriors.”