Truth-For-Truth

Soft jazz continued to play in the fanciful hall's background. Even though the paintings around were vibrant and the decorations lively, an eerie feeling still crept up Daichi's spine.

He gripped the edges of his red armrests. This is way too weird! Why hasn't he said anything? Sanae and everyone else already left almost five minutes ago!

Makoto was sitting in an adjacent red chair next to him, but the cowboy hadn't said a word since their earlier debate. The only nearby noises being permeated were obnoxious chewing noises as Daichi felt two hazel eyes staring a hole into him. A quick glance to his side revealed Makoto's unyielding face focused straight on him. But it was too late; eye contact had been made.

“So—whatcha’ think of Sanae?” Makoto suddenly blurted. His huge grin revealed sets of somewhat yellow teeth. 

“Huh? What?" Daichi's eyes shot towards the cowboy's again. "Sanae?”

“Mhmm! Got a crush on her or anything? Maybe secret feelings?"

He wasn’t sure if he was offended or relieved. “I-I just met her today. I think I’d have to get to know her more—”

“Don’t give me that virgin crap! Ya' think I’ve been leaving her alone with you just so she can lecture you?"

"What else would it have been fo—"

"I wanted someone else’s opinion on her! Can’t really trust the other guys for this sort of thing."

Further puzzle pieces assembled in Daichi's head. They clanked like gears together as a larger picture was formed. “Is that why you invited me to join your guild then?"

“Heh, who knows?" Makoto spat out his Wombat and plopped in Kazemaru's. New, revitalized chewing sounds commenced as he spoke. "Just give me your honest thoughts on our darlin'."

What is even going on here? Daichi squirmed about in his seat like he was being forced to confess his sins. “W-Well, I think she’s really smart and nice; definitely pretty too. But there’s already a girl back home that's interested in me, so I can’t really decide right now—”

“Are ya' seriously a virgin, mate? What gives?" Makoto slapped his armrests in frustration. "Why chain yourself to a chick you’re not even committed to?"

"We just go way back." Though Hanako was his prized childhood friend, Daichi still couldn't convince himself he had true feelings for her, especially now that there was another girl on his mind more often.

"Bro. Even if she digs you, who's to say she’s gonna wait two years for you to wake up?" Makoto's thumb pointed at himself. "Chads like me are probably making moves right now!”

Daichi chuckled. “Chad?”

“What, it’s true! Wanna hear my life story?”

“I think I’m goo—”

“Okay, basically . . ." He stretched out his legs and got even comfier in his seat. "I’ve been horny since I was like eight. Boys be chasin’ away girls for having cooties? I chased down those same girls and made buddy-buddy. Lost my virginity few years later, and by the time I graduated high school I’d banged at least twenty different chicks!"

“Damn, that’s crazy . . .” Daichi said with fake excitement.

Makoto sneered a look of pure condescension. “You were about to graduate high school, right? How many women have you slept with?”

Ughhh. “I’ve had some girls confess to me, but I’ve rejected them all so—”

“Ha! Virgin alert! Virgin alert!” Makoto wildly clapped his hands. “Fret not though! You’re kinda good lookin’, so that’s why I tried setting you up with Sanae. If I can’t get with her, maybe she'd like someone else at least."

“Well, Hiro's probably a better candidate than me though.”

“Forget him. He’s too dense—always has been. And believe me I’ve tried winning over Sanae, but she doesn’t exactly think highly of me.”

Oh I bet.

“She's got like no boobs but her long legs make up for it, know what I’m sayiiiingggg . . .”

Makoto’s voice started trailing off like an echo. His theatrical arm gestures lagged as if in slow motion, leaving blurs in the air. Soon, Daichi’s own heart struggled beating fast enough to compose thoughts—it was like sleep paralysis while still awake. The background jazz slowed and deepened so much it resembled a demonic anthem.

His hands were stuck to the armrests as Daichi realized his immobility. What. Is. Happening?

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a small mirror with tiny, white wings fly out of a painting. The mirror flew closer and closer until Daichi could see himself in it. His silver hair was scruffy while his emerald eyes looked panicked. The reflective screen started flashing between faces of different people—people he’d never met—and one by one their haunting expressions burned themselves into him as the world remained frozen.

Then like a switch, he could move again.

He leapt out of his chair then ran towards a still paused Makoto. Daichi tried shaking him awake. “Hey, hey! There’s an enemy here! We gotta run!”

The mirror hovered around, curiously observing the scene below. Reflections of an immobile cowboy and a panicked Invoker shone on its face. 

Kill it! Gotta fight! Daichi tried to equip his tome but his entire Menu was disabled, apart from being able to bring up his foe's info:

[Name: ???

Level: ???

Lore: ???]

Huh? How does the system itself not know anything? How am I supposed to defend myself?

"S-Stop!" Daichi tripped and fell backwards as the mirror got in his face again. He could see himself clearly reflected, but the voice of a desperate woman started playing, emanating from his own reflection:

“Please, I don’t know . . . Just leave me alone! W-Why do you want to know what I hate? Fine! I hate my boyfriend for cheating on me, and I hate my best friend for being the girl he cheated on me with! I hate the sound of cicadas! I hate my creepy uncle! I hate math! I hate everything right now! Just go away!”

Her voice ceased and the mirror levitated away from him. He shambled onto his feet and stood protectively in front of Makoto. Daichi wanted to run, but leaving people for dead wasn’t an option. He watched the mirror as it hovered around the hall, taking a small tour, before it returned to face him once more.

“Daichi . . . Ayanami. What do you love . . . MOST?” The mirror spoke in a decrepit, alien-like voice.

“What?”

“LOve . . . whAt dO YOu . . . MosT . . . AyanAMi DAiCHi?” It appeared to blink in and out of existence.

It’s asking what I love most? What for? Some sort of test? A trap? And who was that girl I heard earlier? Why did she get asked something different?

The mirror further stared him down, waiting for a response. Daichi peered into his own conflicted reflection to seek out an answer.

Should I lie? Be honest? There’s no way I can abandon Sanae and the others, so I gotta do something!

He calmed himself before replying. “Ummm, I think love is a strong word. They say the opposite of love isn’t hate, but apathy. If that’s true, then it’s easier to sort out my emotions for this.” He tried to reach out to the mirror but it backed away from him. “Tsk. I love my sister. I love the fact she got me into model ships. I love my dad for doing his best to look after us. I loved my mom. And I think I might be in love with—”

The mirror glitched before he finished. Did it sense doubt within him?

“JqyZOaqTlQmcbxSoraxZwpucvb.”

Unsettling, demonic jargon spewed out in a robotic tone while the mirror continued being trapped in a video game glitch. Daichi prepared for the worst as it finally regained its composure.

"Your answer is . . . acceptable." Without another word, the creature flew away and banged into a nearby wall. Strange ripples appeared on the painted surface as the mirror vanished within.

Daichi lurched forward to investigate but found himself suddenly sitting down again in the exact same posture as before. What? Did time rewind?

“Earth to anybody there! Hello!” Makoto was yelling, still in his adjacent seat.

He glanced around. Daichi didn’t see any traces of the mirror or of him even having left the red chair, like it all never happened. Everything’s back to normal? Did I imagine things?

“Yo, you look like you just seen a real bad ghost." Makoto's voice had actual hints of concern. "You alright?”

“Oh, uh, yeah! My bad. Must have spaced out, haha.”

“Spaced out? More like blanked out! I was gushing 'bout Sanae for a solid minute before I saw you all wide-eyed like a zombie.”

Just a minute passed? Daichi didn’t believe it. There’s no way he dreamt all that. It was too coincidental, especially in a Raid of all places. “You didn’t see it? The little mirror flying around and acting all glitchy?”

Makoto raised his brow. “Mirror? Don’t tell me . . . You got caught up in a Truth-for-Truth?”