10

   "Inherited Technique X: Kaleidoscope!"

   I've seen this attack from Mitsuki before. She uses a ton of spectra energy to srround her enemy completely with mirrors. As the enemy moves around inside, her position changes with her reflection, creating a series of deceptive mirages and disguising her real location. This simple trick allows her to finish off her enemies quickly and avoid major injury. Her powerful kaleidoscope is truly a majestic attack.

   Mitsuki enterd the scene in a flurry. Quick slices and jabs gave her a strong initial upperhand, but it only served to knock the woman off her guard momentarily.

   Mitsuki called off her kaleidoscope and carefully approached the woman.

   "Ooh-ooh it's always you! ALWAYS IN MY WAY! I WON'T HOLD BACK NOW! Reaper's Paradise: Shoko's Waltz!" 

   The woman furiously screamed. Something must've upset her and I couldn't figure it out. I mean, she was just attacked by Mitsuki out of the blue, but this seemed to stem from something deeper.

   Regardless of my commentary, the woman's counterattack started. 

   Time slowed and she elegantly danced to her own beat. A wide grin spread across her face as she casually beat down not just Mitsuki, but Izumi and Kitaro too. In a few seconds she had rendered the three swordsmen useless. As if they were just toys in her monstrous hands.

   I turned my attention to the devil savior next to me. She had been cheering herself on this whole time and calling out every punch, kick, and attack like she was a coach.

   "Uh... Just who exactly are you? How did you do that?" I asked her.

   "Shhh! Shhh! That degenerate is about to come in!"
 
   I dismissed her pretentious remark and looked for the so-called "degenerate".. I didn't see anyone, but I followed her gaze to the top of a building. A familiar man stood up top, and he called out, "Boss' Guile: Macro Parilla!"

   A giant ray of lightning shot down from the night sky and illuminated the whole scene.

   Maekawa-sensei!

   "Ooh-ooh! Heehehe, I feel something different in you... what can it be I wonder?" The woman's words dripped out of her mouth in a sarcastic drawl.

   "Enough! You have caused enough terror and damage upon this world! Time to die, okay? Boss' Guile: Parilla Subjugation Combo!" Maekawa-sensei roared in anger.

   Chains and shackles made of pure electriciy wrapped all around the woman, binding her limbs and restricting her movement completely.

   "Ah! ooh-ooh, tricky tricky tricky, heehehe!"

   Maekawa-sensei sprinted at her to finish her, but with a wink and another dazzling smile, she vanished.

   No, she didn't vanish. She changed her form into spectra energy and entered my comatose body.

   "Izumi, we should leave, regrettably." The beaten Kitaro mumbled.

   "yup, gtg greaser, byeeee!" Izumi said to Maekawa-sensei, and then ran off with Kitaro.

   "Tch. What a mess. Miya-chan, you okay?"

   "Ohhh, Sensei-pan..."

   "Yeah yeah yeah, the rest is history. That bum basically kidnaps you and you wake up at the grubby antique shop. We're done here, my love."

   She brashly interrupted the events of the memory and waved it all away so we were back in her necrotic throne room.

   "Okay, my love. I'm sure you have many questions, so, ask away!"

   "Ah. Okay, hmm, what's your name?"

   "I'm Shoko! Nice to meet you!"

   Chills ran up and down my body when she said it like that. "Uh, can you say it less... um frightening?"

   "Huh? What do you mean?"

   "Ergh, I don't know. You were kinda scary I guess."

   "Ooh-ooh, let me try again, my love."

   "Okay."

   "I'm Shoko! Nice to meet you!"

   "CUTE!"

   "B-Big brother, I-I'm Shoko. N-nice to meet you."

   "What the? That's weird, stop it."

   "Hey step-bro, I'm Shoko. Can't wait to meet you."

   "Don't call me step-bro and lick your lips like that!"

   "Hello. I'm Shoko. Nice to meet you."

   "Wow! How formal!"

   "Heyooo! I'm Shoko-chan! Pleasure to meet you!"

   "That's fine, but less emphasis on pleasure."

   "What's up bro! I'm Shoko! Nice to meet ya man!"

   "Alright alright, I get it. Just be normal now, please."

   "Don't tell me what to do, my love."

   "Oh, uh okay. Sorry."

   "It's fine! We just met, so it's okay if you're super rude sometimes."

   "Uh, okay? Shoko, you say that we just met, but it doesn't really seem like that to me. How exactly did you get, uh, inside me?" I asked.

   "You're still such a newbie to this whole thing, so it doesn't really surprise me that you don't know. Anyway, there's this thing called hosting. It's when a swordsman has an eidolon inside of them to use their spectra energy for a mega power up! Pretty cool, right, my love?"

   "You're an eidolon!?"

   "Well duh. What were you thinking this whole time?"

   She cocked her head to the side and looked at me as if I was the surprising piece of information.

   "W-well, I don't know. It's just, you're more than just spectra energy. You're like nice and have all of your powers and stuff."

   What was it she always said? Reaper's Paradise?

   "Oh well, y'know it's kinda embarrassing to talk about myself like this... hmm, well, I'll tell you later!" Shoko said cheerfully.

   "I guess that's only fair. When you feel comfortable and want to share, I'll listen. I promise. But this all makes me think, why me?"

   "Why you?"

   "Yeah, how come I'm your host?"

   "Well, let's just say that you did something pretty awful and heartless, and well I manifested and chose you."

   "So you're like an evil eidolon?"

   "The worst, my love."

   "And that's how it works then? The eidolon chooses their host?"

   "Nope. It's the opposite. But I saw someone just as heartless as me, and well, I fell in love! Isn't it all so beautiful and romantic, my love!?" Shoko squealed.

   There was nothing romantic about spending time with a self-proclaimed supernatural evil entity in her creepy skull scattered throne room.

   "Uh, right. Very touching. Uh, if I wasn't so dehydrated I'd be crying from how beautiful this is." I joked.

   "Ooh-ooh, heehehe! You're funny! Sei-ji!"

   "Thanks. Um, another question. If you're so powerful, how come I can barely use any spectra energy?"

   "Ooh-ooh, excellent question! Let's see, maybe you have a seal on you? Hmm... to be safe, take off all your clothes. It could be anywhere on your body." She directed.

   "No. Not a chance."

   "Yes!"

   "Okay, let's see. Hmm, so may muscles... defined... toned... ya know, you've got a rockin' bod, my love!"

   "Stop touching me all over and hurry up, please!"

   "Heehehe, don't worry so much, my love! Oh! What's this?"

   "That's..."

   "Here it is! Clear as day. To think that your spectra energy was sealed by this little tattoo on your finger! Times change I guess. It used to be like, an entire prison for one person, or burying them alive. But now it's just this little tattoo!"

   "Sensei gave me that. It's supposed to help me use spectra energy." I argued.

   "Or so he says. It's clearly a seal, but it could be modified for that too."

   "So what now? Can I put my clothes on now?"

   "One sec! Don't move, my love!"

   Shoko formed a wicked black sword with her spectra energy and swiftly proceeded to cut my hand off.

   "Wha? AHH! MY HAND!" I screamed.

   "Shut up, I told you not to move. I was aiming for your finger."

   "Y-you can't just chop off people's extremities for no reason!"

   "Just use some spectra energy and grow it back, my love. It's really not a big deal."

   "That's possible!?"

   "There you go! Mhm, yep. All done, you're welcome, my love."

   Sure enough, with a wave of her hand my bloody stub grew out and formed into my hand. I flexed my muscles a few times and opened and closed my hand to test it out.

   "Good as new! If not better!" Shoko cheered.

   "Uh yeah, something like that. Thanks."

   After that, the conversation took a serious turn.

   "Well, Seiji. This is it for us."

   "Why are you being so dramatic, Shoko?"

   "I-I'll never see you again. Now that you're going off to college this month."

   "B-but Shoko! There's technology nowadays, I-I can call you!"

   "Y-you would? For me? I-I... I'd like that, Seiji."

   "Really? Great!"

   We sat in silence amidst the towering piles of bones.
   The awkward silences between hearty laughs.
   Accidental brushes of shoulders.
   Side glances and blushed cheeks.
   All part of the experience.
   Enjoying each other's company.
   Looking into her eyes. Those dark, lifeless eyes.  

   "Actually, Seiji. There's something I want to tell you."

   "You're skipping a grade and coming to college with me? That's great!"

   "Cut the crap, that was just some shallow romance bit for the shippers."

   "Oh right. It felt too sudden, but I'd say your compassionate side is really well developed now."

   "Thanks, I agree. You're gross."

   "Uh, okay."

   "My love, I have a proposal for you."

   "Yes?"

   "You have the unique opportunity to develop into a phenomenal swordsman."

   "I do?"

   "Yes. I'll teach you all of my techniques on one condition."

   "No. Shoko stop. You were the one that helped me when I needed it most. You filled the whole in my heart. I'm in your debt."

   "S-Seiji... O-oh what am I thinking! Y-you have a way with words ya know..."

   "I'm just being honest, Shoko."

   "So, my love, do you want to be the best? What do ya say, partner?" Shoko offered.

   I looked at her straight in the eyes. They may be lifeless, but I saw my living self reflected in them. That gave them enough life for me to trust in them.

   "Shoko, I'll live for you. I accept."