Diary of a Narcissus

Khm* Khm* Khm*

(*clears throat)

Ladies and Gentlemen of all ages and spaces!

Welcome to our 17th addition of the show filled with

A: Pure Fun, B: Excitement, C: Sleeping beauty!

(*sound of static)

(*booing)

(* someone throws a bottle)

Just kidding with that C!

But she does look precious while she sleeps, does she Sheekz?

(*broadcast over)

„...“

„Nana! I am not a tamer of shadow-lions!“ cried Omi while facing the beast eye to eye.

He tried to terrify the beast with a sword who's blade was made seemingly out of air, but it gave out pale blue glow.

Nana was attempting to sneak past the beast, into it's cage where a special golden key with purple ribbon was located.

„You carry a sword dude, just swing with that thing!“

She wanted to yell at him but at the same time didn't want the beast to realize her sneaking around, so she had to satisfy herself with angry whispering.

„I use it to extract the Mana that YOU'RE supposed to bring out, not me!“ complained Omi while pointing a finger at Nana.

The beast followed the direction of Omi's finger and growled fiercely at her.

„Good kitty, nya nya, give 7 seconds to aunty Na Na.“

She was preparing to pull out a hammer from her pocket that had returned to kid-size couple of minutes ago.

Lion's mane sharpened in form of many needles that stuck out from his head like a cactus.

„That can't be good! Ok, listen Omi, I'm going to jump into his cage an lock myself in, you distract him and then I'll pierce his furry bottom,“ Nana explained the plan while slowly approaching the cage.

„You're kidding? Is that his weak spot or?“

Omi had so many questions but at the same time Nana had already went forward with her plan and jumped into the cage.

The beast maimed at her but in the last second she managed to lock herself within the cage.

„Who's the kitty now?“ Nana teased a lion by slurping mockingly.

She pulled out a tiny hammer from her pocket and started playing with the needles of the shadow beast.

„Not so fierce now, huh,huh?“ she enjoyed every second of the show.

„Are you mad? It'll kill you!“ Omi yelled behind the beast.

„Ok Omes, now it's your turn. Distract the beast someone and I will blow up it's booty,“ the hammer in Nana's hands enlarged significantly.

„Eh, if I'm going to die at least I'm going away as a partner of this crazy crazy hottie,“ Omi sighed.

„That's the spirit! Come on! Do it!“ Nana cheered at Omi from the cage.

„Here I am dumb shadow!“ Omi grabbed the beast by it's tailed and pulled it as hard as he could.

The beast complained by letting out an unexpectedly cute sound that perplexed both Omi and Nana. But the magic quickly disappeared because the beast turned around in complete rage and pounced at unprepared boy.

„Oh no you won't, homewrecker!“ Nana jumped out of the cage as if she was propelled by an invisible jet engine.

She indeed struck a poor thing at it's behind which made the reverberating sound.

The beast wasn't hurt at all. It just stumped for a couple of times while walking towards Omi and fell down. It snorted like a moving train a moment after.

„Well, this is new,“ said Nana as she wiped her hammer with her shirt.

With each snort, a small balloons with a pale glow were emerging form beast's nose and mouth.

„My turn!“ Omi pointed a tip of his sword that started absorbing the bubbles.

With each absorbed bubble, the color of the blade became more intense.

„Aww, such a cute magic trick,“ Nana was sitting on her hammer and joked.

„Shut up, just grab the key so we can proceed,“ Omi responded harshly.

„Yes, Dad!“

„That woman will be the end of me, but seriously her strength is out of it's world,“ Omi looked at the peaceful but awfully loud beast in it's slumber.

„...“

Shiki spent a night in the Lotus Medical Institute. It was a restless night filled with strange dreams of circus, napkins and fruit.

When Shiki opened his eyes he didn't know where he is. He had lost the track of his whereabouts long time ago.

His own body didn't feel like his own. But he didn't question these strange sensations he felt.

He forgot that he condoned an experiment together with Dr.Chom yesterday. He was laying down in bed completely contented with himself.

The smell of the morning rain gave him enough material to think about for hours to end.

After some time, Dr. Chom has entered the room.

„Oh morning! You were exhausted so I just left you here for the night. Don't worry, I told your grandma that you were busy with school festival with some girls!“ doctor laughed enthusiastically.

„Thanks,“ Shiki answered.

Doctor noticed how expressionless his face was so he grabbed the chair and pulled it next to Shiki's bed.

„How are you feeling?“

„I don't know, fine, I guess.“

„You're free to go whenever you want, I can give you a lift home,“ doctor offered.

„No need, I'll just walk,“ Shiki stood up from bed and put on his jacket.

A muffled sound of thunder in a distance moved Shiki's head in a direction of a window.

Beside the window stood a big mirror. He looked at his reflection.

His own body felt oddly uncomfortable.

Body?

You're a no-body.

His lips created the words that echoed through his head. But the echo didn't hurt him. It comforted him.

„I'll be going, thank you for having me, I apologize for being a burden,“ Shiki bowed and left the room.

As Shiki walked down the stairs, he noticed a girl talking to one of the staff members at the counter.

He walked right past her and headed towards the exit.

„Hello? Kappa? It is me, Ren,“ a voice came from behind.

„Huh?“ Shiki gave out a confused look.

„I have a car prepared for you, please let me give you a lift home,“ Ren said gently.

Shiki had a trouble figuring out who the person that was standing before him was,

Miyako?

A name broke out in his mind and escaped over his dry lips.

Ren widened her eyes. She put a hand on her mouth and leaned with entire weight on the counter.

„Hey Ren! Are you okay?“ Ichigo quickly grabbed her from behind.

„Wha...what are you..saying?“ Ren fought for air.

„Sorry, I confused you for someone else,“ Shiki added and left the building.

Dr.Chom arrived down from his office as well.

„I did as best as I could. His mind is strained severely. Poor kid,“ doctor added.

„What will happen to him?“ Ichigo asked.

„That's up to him. Try to look at this from the positive side Ren, maybe he really is the definite key to save your sister,“ doctor consoled Ren.

„At what cost? I did not wish to sacrifice others for my selfish reasons,“ Ren tried to stop the tears, but it was in vain.

„The truth is, it is probably too late already, but now he at least will be able to help you,“ said the doctor.

„Those are unmistakably my Father's words,“ Ren wiped the remaining of her tears and walked towards the exit.

„Ren..“ Ichigo folded her arms.

„I and Alpha will save Shiki, say that to my Father,“ she burst out of the building.

„...“

Nana and Omi were still walking around the circus.

„So, are you having a good time on our first date?“ Nana asked playfully.

„Date? With shadows mopping around and bloodthirsty beasts in cages and that weird clown-looking thing that has no face, it's amazing of course,“ Omi listed everything he had seen around him.

„Oh come on, we're having fun. I never had this much fun inside the World, you know,“ Nana put her hands behind her back.

She noticed how Omi held onto his sword in case something jumps out towards them even though it can't cut anything so she couldn't help but giggle out of pure amusement.

„School festival is starting soon, I don't like normie holidays like that but after this trip, I'll be enjoying myself for sure,“ Omi muttered while following carefully the movement of each shadow around them.

„Is that so..,must be nice to a high school student,“ said Nana.

„What do you mean? You're only couple of years older than me, it wasn't as long time as you make it out to be,“ Omi corrected her.

„I never really finished high school, kinda hard to do so if you have to repeat the test over and over and over again,“ Nana said quietly.

„Seven times?“

„Yup“

„What's up with that seven thing anyway?“ asked Omi.

„It's a curse, and a blessing too. I'm grateful that I can be certain that everything will be all right after the seventh try. People were often forced to live through constant failures. I only have to endure seven of them,“ Nana smiled.

„You're such a weird gal,“ Omi added.

„Thanks. So, do you have a girlfriend?“ Nana asked without a pause.

„I, no, of course, I had a partner, shard partner, but we weren't compatible at all and she found a better partner so..“

„That blows!“ Nana shouted.

„I know, right?“ Omi chuckled.

„Don't worry, you're plenty compatible with me,“ Nana stuck out her tongue.

„So..your boss told you to get in contact with me?“

„His daughter did. Ren was worrying about your poor self and she knew how disastrous my partners were so yeah. Usually LMI employees can't be paired with high school students but daddy made an exception for his precious daughter.“

Omi felt embarrassed after finding this out.

„And you're okay with that?“ he asked.

„I wasn't at first, no, but after seeing your tired and lost apparition staring outside of main gates I knew that you're the guy,“ Nana laughed.

„Oh come on,“ Omi said while smiling.

„Hey, look at those strange doors, I bet we can open them with the key,“ said Nana.

Odd-looking door marbled with bronze flowers seemingly led to giant building made of stone and rocks.

„Give me the key, I don't want to wait for your seven tries,“ Omi grabbed the key from Nana's hand.

„Such a meanie,“ she pouted.

Omi used the key and the door opened. They entered the building. Inside was completely dark and the first thing Omi did was searching for a light switch.

He was feeling the wall with his hand until he grabbed something very soft. It scared him for a second so he made a tiny twitch.

„That's a switch, but not for the lights,“ Nana joked and continues, „let me do the old trick from the books.“

She clapped twice and the lights were turning on one after another.

„A..amazing,“ Omi was still in trance cause he is not absolutely certain what he had touched with his hand.

A lengthy filled brimming with various flowers prostrated before their eyes. The ceiling of the building was extremely high so it seemed like the sky itself was above their heads.

In the middle of a wide flower bed sat a tiny shadow of a girl.

„Now what? We have to water the flowers or something like that?“ Omi wondered.

„I bet that girl over there is Lilliana, Eden's childhood friend,“ when Nana said that Omi rolled with his eyes.

„Oh boy, childhood friends are the worst,“ he added.

„You see, it's not like he doesn't have any feelings for her. He uses his own self-indulgence to convince himself that he doesn't need anyone else to make him company. He is just afraid of showing his vulnerable side to others. He is aware that the will let go of an amazing person which will ultimately lead to his own demise so that's why he sought my help in the first place.“

„Long story short, spoiled brat wants to stop being super selfish so he can be mediocre selfish with her?“ Omi concluded.

„Being in love is all about being selfish in wanting that one person all for yourself, you have much to learn Mr. Omes,“ Nana smiled.

„Let's just get this over with, I'll never understand love thingy,“ Omi added.

In truth he understood what she was saying more than anyone. He was too stubborn to admit it. Now ironically he was about to help two childhood friendly with their love life.

„Do you understand the flower language?“ asked Nana out of nowhere.

„My friend Alp does, I'm more of gamer,“ answered Omi.

„Boys and their games,“ Nana teased him and explained, „there's a secret meaning behind every flower. Some mean forgiveness and truth, other mean love, courage and innocence.“

Omi followed Nana and pretended to understand and appreciate her words. He just didn't particularly care about all that.

„So, we're looking for a specific flower, right?“ he asked.

„A Narcissus,“ Nana nodded and continued, „ I won't bother you with old Greek myths so let's just say that Eden is a dictionary example of a Narcissus so we need to find it and cut it down.“

„Awesome, thank you,“ Omi wiped his head from relief that he won't have to pretend that he cares about old-man stories.

They walked through the field filled with flowers. Omi let Nana look for the flower while he was keeping an eye on the girl that was sitting in the middle of the field.

„There is one!“ she hammered playfully the poor flower that compressed into a ball of [Loose Mana]. Omi used his sword to absorb the Mana.

„How many do we need?“ Omi asked.

„Stop whining, we have only began.“

They circled the field far and wide. Nana would stomp the flower and Omi would absorb the Mana from it's remains.

After thirty flowers or so, Omi noticed that shadow of a girl is somehow bigger, or more precisely older.

„That looks like a shadow of a woman now,“ said Omi.

„That means we're finished soon,“ added Nana and jumped around searching for pretty flowers.

After a couple of flowers, the shadow of a woman stood up.

„Hey! Look!“ Omi nudged Nana.

The shadow of a woman bowed to them and put out an empty basket made out of similar shadow material.

„Your turn, Omi,“ she pushed him toward the shadow,

Omi walked slowly through the middle of the field. When he got near her, he grabbed a sword and put it in the basket.

The Mana it absorbed filled the basket to the brim with sparkling white and gold objects that resembled snowflakes.

The woman thanked him by bowing again and disappeared together with the basket.

All the flowers in the field became crimson in color. The waves of red light descended down from the ceiling and illuminated the entire hall. Nana quickly ran towards Omi and grabbed his hand.

„Close your eyes,“ she whispered while holding his hand tightly.

The area around them started shaking greatly and it seemed like the flowers got legs and ran around like maniacs. An intense feeling of unity washed over Omi.

He had never felt anything close to this with Ume.

That thought gave him courage.

That thought gave him dread.

Narcissus symbolize rebirth and new beginnings.