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Kiara can feel the way the atmosphere of the room changes as a new presence materializes behind her.
She doesn't have to turn around.
She knows who it is.
She knows what is about to unfold.
She steels herself for it.
'What the fuck Kusotori'
The voice behind her is angry. She hoped it would be. Maybe she does care after all the phoenix thinks to herself.
'Hello to you too Calli'
She tries to stay as calm as possible. It’ll be better this way she tells herself.
'I just had a very interesting conversation with Death Sensei'
‘Oh?’ Kiara finally turns around to face the other girl. ‘'What about?'
She cocks her head slightly to the side to appear as genuinely inquisitive as she can.
'Why did you request a different reaper to be assigned to you?'
The anger is still there, but it's mixed with something else now.
'So I'm getting a new reaper then?'
The phoenix looked her dead in the eye as she asked. There was no emotion in her words. It was so foreign to hear something like that from her phoenix. The room felt colder now too. She thinks that that is strange, the usual warmth that naturally emitted off of the phoenix is missing.
'Is that really what you want, Kusotori?' the reaper asks. This must be some kind of trick she thinks.
'To be honest…’ Kiara looks away and offers a sad chuckle.
‘I thought you'd be happy about this.' She gives the reaper a soft smile. It doesn’t reach her eyes.
Fuck... 'are you serious...?'
‘Calli, I know you don't love me-’ the redhead says softly.
‘Oh my god, is that what this is about?’ Calli responds, perhaps a bit too harshly..
There it is, Kiara thinks. ‘But I'm starting to think that you don't even like me…’
‘Dude what are you even talking about, we have been together for literally forever.’
Calli can’t hide the irritation in her voice.
‘Not by choice’ the pain is palpable in her voice, ‘At least not by your choice..’.
‘Kiara-’
The phoenix doesn’t let her finish.
‘You're always so cold to me. But do kind to everyone else. You always show them respect. But you call me a fucking 'shit bird'
‘Kuso-... Kiara… You know I don't mean it like that’ Calli replies softly.
‘You know how I feel about you and you still flirt with other girls right in front of me…’ Kiara continues, ‘Do you have any idea how that feels?
‘That's not fair.” the reaper objects, ‘I'm not even flirting with them, they're flirting with me.’ she stammers.
‘And you tell them you love them...’
Kiara sounds so defeated. It’s breaking Calli’s heart.
I’ve got to turn this around before it gets worse... she thinks to herself.
‘Well I love you too...’
‘...as a friend’ they say at the same time.
Dammit
‘... See... That's just it…’
Kiara looks so empty
‘That's just what?’
Calli has never seen her phoenix like this before. She doesn’t know what to do.
‘I don't wanna be ‘just friends’ Calli. I never wanted to be ‘just friends’... I have always, and will always, want to be more than that…’
‘…’
What am I supposed to say to that…, the reaper thinks solemnly.
‘I'm so tired Calli... I'm tired of loving someone who will never love me back.’
I have to say something now, Calli says to herself, or this is going to end badly.
‘I guess I never really understood how much this was affecting you…’ she offers, ‘I wish you would have just talked to me before going to Death Sensei’
‘Why? So you could kill me?’ Kiara's voice gains some of its strength back with that accusation.
‘...what…?’ it's all that she can muster. Where the hell did that come from...
‘That's what you do right? When things start getting bad between us? You kill me, and I'll come back and forget it all happened.’
'...what...?' There is no way that she would know that...
‘In it's own kinda way it's actually pretty sweet that you'd go to such lengths for our relationship. But not anymore.’
'...what...?' What the fuck is going on...
‘Calli... I want to move on. And I can't do that if you're around me.’ Kiara’s voice is so calm.
‘What are you saying?’ Calli can feel the pressure starting to build behind her eyes.
‘I'm leaving this dimension Calli…’ She can feel the tears welling in her eyes.
No...
‘What about me...?’ Her vision is beginning to blur.
‘Hmm?’
‘You can't abandon me here…’ She can feel them streaking down her face.
‘Oh Calli…’ She can feel Kiara’s hand on her face. It’s as cold as ice.
Kiara brushes away her tears and ever so sweetly says:
‘You are so selfish.’
Calli feels as if she has been hit by a truck. She stares at Kiara in stunned silence while the tears keep coming.
‘After everything I've just said, all you care about is how it affects you.’
This can’t be happening, the reaper says to herself.
‘You don't care about me.’
That’s not true, It’s just not!
‘I don't think you ever cared about me.’
I think I care about you more than you care about me!
‘You just kept me around so you wouldn't be lonely. Ignoring me until it was convenient for you.’
Why are you saying these things...
‘It makes me so sad now that I see it.’
Please stop. Please tell me this is all some elaborate joke.
‘But you know what's worse…’
‘What?’ she keeps it short, she doesn’t want Kiara to hear her voice waiver.
‘I still love you. More than anything.’
There is still hope...
‘I hate that I can't hate you’
Kiara begins to fidget with the tape on her transformation belt. Using it will cause her to revert back to her phoenix form, and will warp her to a different dimension.
I need to tell her now before it’s too late...
‘And that’s why I asked Death Sensei to give me a new reaper. I need to leave here, and forget about you. Or I'll never be happy.’
‘Kiara... Please wait... There's something I need to tell you’ Calli starts to hear a buzzing sound in her head.
‘It's ok Calli. You don't have to lie.’ It's getting louder.
‘It's not a lie Kiara please…’ And louder.
‘Look after the others for me… Goodbye Calli...’ It’s deafening
‘Kiara I love you!’ she screams into the empty room.
. . .
‘-li...-alli... Calli... Are you ok?’
The pink haired girl jolts awake, gently being shaken by Kiara.
‘I was just in the neighborhood so I figured I'd stop in on you…’
Calli looks around at her living room.
I must have fallen asleep on the couch...
‘But I heard some weird noises and you didn't answer the door.... I know you told me never to come in without permission but I was worried…’
Calli can see the concern plastered on her phenix’s face.
She wipes her eyes.
‘...And you were crying in your sleep... Are you ok?’
‘Yea... sorry, just a bad dream.’
‘Oh I know how that goes.’ she chuckles. ‘I have nightmares all the time... Do you wanna talk about it? You don't have to if you don't want to, but know that I'm here for you if you ever need me.’ she stammers.
Cute , Calli thinks.
‘Actually Kiara…’
‘Yes?’
‘I need to tell you something.’