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"Buh-bye," Adachi waved as he let his projection vanish from Mayumi's room in the tv world. Sitting amidst a ruined Yasoinaba, Adachi put his focus back on his immediate surroundings. There was no threat or pressure to perform any one way here. In fact, Adachi was beginning to feel most at home when he hopped to his feet to explore the streets of this Magatsu Inaba.
It was just as dilapidated as the real thing! In spirit at least. Given a few years, he's certain the other Inaba wouldn't look much different even without all this supernatural crap making the difference. That fact was made even more ironic by the fact that Junes was still very much one of the few buildings still standing in decent condition. It felt almost poetic in his cynical mind. Like not even some corporate entity could be destroyed when everything else had life removed from it. Still, it seemed as good a choice as any when it came to the prospect of getting something to eat.
“Adachi-san,” a familiar voice called out behind him which he recognized immediately. That brat really did not know when to quit!
Adachi turned around with his gun already raised, “I warned you once, didn’t I?”
The sight of Yu Narukami before him was annoying. Why couldn’t this brat just give up and leave him alone already? Except there was something different. A few immediate differences, actually. Adachi noticed the lack of glasses for one, but the ominous yellow glow implied this probably wasn’t the same brat somehow.
Adachi tilted his head back to study the brat down the length of his nose, “...Well?”
The yellow eyed Yu Narukami smiled. It was almost so sweet that it felt sour. Disingenuous at best, and yet when he spoke, this version of Yu had a voice that felt like it was being tuned through various channels. Almost like there was a natural static that ebbed with whatever waves it was picking up on.
“I want to get to know you better,” this Yu said. It would have sounded exact if it weren’t for that static, “I know what it’s like to be lonely too. Day after day… I promise I won’t cause any problems, so please…” There was an edge of desperation layered into it. So polite, almost formal like the real thing, but something childish and needy at the same time.
It was discomforting.
“Ah, no thanks! Unlike you, I actually enjoy being alone,” Adachi dismissed him as he turned back to enter the store.
“PLEASE!” the shadow cried, because that had to be what this was, right? That’s something those kids none-to-subtly talked about all the time, with their yellow eyes and etcetera. Some exaggerated form of their inner desires or whatever.
Adachi caught his own reflection and noticed the same shade of yellow had covered his natural iris. Huh , there was no way they were the same, right? He was at least willing to entertain the idea long enough to find out.
“Why?” Adachi asked, “You have all of your friends, right? Why would you possibly want to spend your time with someone like me? I’m the murderer, aren’t I?”
This shadow, because there's no way it would be the real thing, right? Not when he was looking at Adachi like he was somehow his entire world. It felt wrong. Unsettling. But then Yu was gaining on him like he wasn't going to entertain a response which was entirely too alike to the real thing. Yu's hand snaked along his wrist, leading him further into the store as he muttered a stern, "I'll cook for you."
For a shadow, the kid could still cook. In fact, unlike the usual humbled ‘holier than thou’ approach Yu took to most things, the shadow of the young man was showing off. Cracking eggs on his spatula, tossing ingredients into the air, purposefully making the grill catch flame, all were conducted specifically to ensure Adachi's attention remained on him. It felt like a trick, except that Adachi could sense when others entered this world. It was difficult to describe, but Adachi felt like he had some innate knowledge of who and what was where along with how many. The feeling he got off of the Yu cooking before him definitely felt more like a shadow, though he had to wonder why no one else's had shown up.
"Please enjoy," Yu presented the dish proudly upon its completion and while hesitant, found that it tasted just about as good as the real thing. Yu was smiling at him with an almost expectant expression. Like a puppy waiting for its owner to return.
"Do you really believe in me so much..?" Adachi asked after finishing what was in his mouth.
Yu--The shadow appeared oh-so content to nod eagerly in reply.
"...Why?" Adachi tilted his utensils to the side to elaborate his confusion.
"...Because I like you," the shadow replied, sounding so alike the real thing that Adachi felt like even this world was fucking with him.
"...Ha?"
"I know it's weird!" Yu clasped his hands in front of his face with eyes tersely shut. The shadow’s expression was so unlike anything Adachi had ever seen from Yu in reality. It kind of reminded him more of that plucky diva that was always chasing Yu's tail and hanging off him. His voice even seemed to take on a cutesy tone, "But the truth is I've always been a bit odd, that's why I can't… I don't always show what's on my mind."
Adachi felt like he was being flirted with, but that couldn't be right. No way. "So what's on your mind?" He asked instead.
Yu smiled bashfully at first, then his voice turned deeply serious, "So much, all the time… Too much, yet never enough. I still couldn't reach you. I couldn't reach Nanako fast enough either…"
It was a strange show of vulnerability as the shadow even started to cry, far more emotive than his human counterpart even if the kid apparently did drama.
It was pitiful and yet, despite how Adachi continued eating, he couldn't quite ignore the odd sniffle and shaking from the shadow version of the brat who had just cooked a meal for him.
"...Nngh, she's alive though," Adachi eventually ushered, "And so am I, so stop that already."
The shadow ceased on the order. Was that because Adachi told him or because that's what Yu wanted? The shadow stood by silently as Adachi finished his meal.
"Did you like it?" Yu asked. Yellow eyes shining bright with the same kind of optimism as those gray ones. He wanted to crush the soul behind it about as much as he wanted to indulge the path of opportunity it provided. Heck, that indulgence hadn't hurt in all the times he'd done it before. For all that inconvenience the kid sure had a way of--
"Yeah, it was alright. You sure do that a lot, you know?" Adachi remarked before helping himself to a canned drink.
The Shadow of Yu tilted his head to the side in that usual obliviousness. Even here it felt so earnest despite being clearly practiced. There was no way he could be that ignorant, "What do you mean?"
Adachi chewed the words around his mouth to discern the precise tone and flavour he wanted to convey. Bold and spicy, maybe…? "Come on now, you can't be that dense can you? Barging in here on your own like that, feeding me like this despite knowing…"
"I already told you," Yu smiled, but there was an edge to it this time. It no longer felt so cute, "I like you, Adachi-san."
This was starting to get a little bit creepy…
Adachi felt a lazy, half assed laugh escape out his mouth as he tried to determine the best way out of this situation. If it was just a shadow then he should just be able to command it away like the others, "Ah.. Hmm… I'm feeling a bit tired, think you can find me a nice bed to sleep in?"
Yu's expression changed dramatically. It felt heated, hungry, lusting even and nearly made Adachi jump out of his skin.
N-no… not doing that today. That wasn't the plan!
Adachi found himself laughing nervously now, "Ah, actually - I just thought of something even better you could help me with!" A statement like that would surely even keep the real brat busy with the way he was always so eager to please other people. It seemed like the kid hardly ever took time for himself. Surely country life couldn't be as busy as Yu Narukami made it appear?
Yu's expression didn't shift. Adachi squirmed in his seat, "Go around the whole town and let me know which buildings are left. Then come back here and I'll let you know which ones I want knocked down."
The expression dulled into keen obedience as the shadow listened intently before asking, "Would you like me to knock all of them down for you?"
"...Sure," the question wasn't one he was expecting and yet, it was so strange to hear such an immediate response out of the brat when he had just been telling Adachi how wrong he was and how betrayed Yu is by him. The shadow just beamed joyously as it accepted Adachi's confirmation and put away its aspirin before heading off on its way.
Adachi was going to find a bed to sleep in now that he could be certain Yu wasn't likely to be back anytime soon.
At least going to bed it didn't feel like it was going to be anytime soon. Morning, if it could even be called that, felt like it came seconds too soon.
" GAH! " Adachi jumped from his makeshift bed supplied via the Junes home supplies department to see Yu laying across from him. Centimetres away, watching him intently with those unnatural yellow eyes.
Yu seemed none too perturbed by this reaction. Not Yu. It wasn't Yu. The shadow watched him curiously as he swore to himself before making the stem proclamation to the shadow, " Don't do that!"
"Do what?" it asked innocently while sitting up in bed. It couldn't be that naïve.
"Watching me sleep or whatever that was!" He gestured at the bed, "It's creepy!"
"But… I want to," Yu frowned. The shadow frowned.
Adachi ran a hand over his face, "Seriously, that's too much. There's no way you're the real deal. You're nothing like him." The last part was more for Adachi than the shadow but it seemed to trigger a sort of reaction all the same.
The shadow rose to his feet and walked confidently up to Adachi. His hands sternly grasped Adachi's wrists as he leaned in to whisper, "I can show you something no one else can."
The words sent goosebumps through Adachi. He tried to glance at the shadows face and get a sense for why it was restraining him so suddenly when Yu's voice sounded clear from its mouth like it was uttering a command, "Per… So.. Na…"
It felt like something broke inside. Adachi's body became rigid as a force seemed to be pulled out of him. It was like a fire had been forced through his veins, drawing out an odd mix of relief and agony when the sensation shot out of his head.
A ghastly figure that reflected the color of the red and black sky hovered over him and the shadow. He could feel and hear it so clearly.
This is fucking cool. Adachi grinned to himself before looking back to the shadow who was still holding his wrists. He quickly shook them off before anything could come of it, feeling his heart rate pick up for some inexplicable reason. Yu was far too much of a newcomer to give looks that might imply… Not to mention, he was a guy too. That would just be weird.
Yu's shadow frowned, casting a look down at his hands as if disappointed but quickly cheered up, "I saved them for you. All the buildings. I thought you might like to try your new power."
Adachi was hesitant but glancing back at the persona that apparently was levitating overhead, testing things out certainly couldn't hurt when those kids had them already.
"Sure," Adachi agreed and wondered at what point exactly had the shadow come to this realization and just how long had it been laying that close while watching him?
Following through to destroy the remaining structures of Inaba was entirely worth it. Especially when he could cleave through a building with a single strike. It was incredible really! The fact that it was a complete replica of reality was gratifying in a lot of ways too! Like when the shadows would beat down the rubble rendered buildings as if encouraged by Adachi’s own initiative. Who knew this was the darkness everyone kept inside their hearts? Was everyone secretly wishing that everything would just disappear? If the entire town of Inaba was, then assuming things went as planned, those kids wouldn't stand a chance of changing the outcome which was meant to be.
How cliché!
Adachi laughed himself to tears over it. It was exactly like he was recreating one of his favourite childhood shows. A grand finale of sorts.
What was it that that American hero movie said? You either die a hero or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain? That's what this entire mess was wrapping up to be.
Adachi found himself in a fit until he realized the town was completely reduced to rubble. Cutting through collapsed pieces of cement and rebar just didn't hold the same appeal as watching an entire building get levelled. The callous taunts tossed at each building as he tore them down had been a newfound high but now he was reminded again of a serious consequence. The same consequence everyone inevitably worked back to time and time again.
There was a certain kind of emptiness at the end of the world. Even with shadows hiding in the rubble with new games to help pass the time, there was a persistent gaze paired with a persistent smile that kept Adachi from feeling like he'd ever actually have any true alone time in this place. He could usually convince that shadow to leave him alone for what felt like several hours at a time but then it would return with some new response to the bullshit task Adachi had chosen to occupy it that particular day. They were usually pretty decent suggestions or at least nothing that quite matched the intensity of the first time Adachi had fallen asleep with knowledge of the shadow being out and about.
Now the shadow practically babied him by taking nearly every one of Adachi's moronic suggestions to heart. Cooking breakfast with sunny side eggs over fresh cooked rice, had been the initial request. Then, ‘while wearing some shitty pigtails’ has been tossed in and the shadow made it a part of the routine too. Of course Adachi was going to explore the limits of that.
The only issue was that Adachi had yet to encounter any which almost felt too like Yu Narukami again for his own comfort.
"Why can't those damn brats show up yet?" he lamented out loud. It was beginning to feel a lot like they might never appear which meant he won, right? Or maybe he'd end up like his victims? Adachi giggled to himself at the prospect. If he showed up dead in some power lines the case would be reopened and left unsolved. That or the fog would truly make the world into something everyone already believed it was anyways.
He tilted his head back to look at the shadow who was knitting, or at least attempting to as it seemed like he was struggling. Guess he wasn't the perfect housewife after all.
"Hey," Adachi called out, "Do you want to see the world burn?"
"Sometimes," Yu replied. Adachi kicked himself again mentally and reminded himself it was the shadow.
"And..? Seriously kid, you're going to make me dig for it every time or are you that much of a space case?"
"I get caught up thinking about so much," the shadow had an amalgamation of Yu's voice saying the same words with a variety of inflections. Some sad, some stressed, some agitated, anxious, happy, flirtatious, indifferent, scared -- regardless of their tonal value, they concluded in unison all the same.
Adachi's heart pounded violently in his chest as his gaze remained fixed on the shadow, "Well… I guess that answers my question then."
Adachi sat up when Yu smiled at him in that uniquely delighted manner. Adachi turned his attention back to the ruined landscape before them. No more Junes, no more Tofu Shop or textiles or anything . This is the world everyone longed for, wasn’t it? An end to all that endless pain and suffering…
He felt breath next to his ear, drawing his attention from the site before him and to the presence of the shadow that had surgically inserted itself into his personal bubble, “I have to go soon… But I don’t want to.”
“...Go?” Adachi asked.
Yu leaned his head against Adachi’s. His arms draped around his chest in a loose embrace, “They’ll be arriving soon. Just like you requested. I won’t know about any of this. We’re the same after all but do not share a consciousness.”
Adachi glanced at the shadow from the corner of his eye and noted the partial frown accompanied by a distanced gaze.
“I really like you a lot,” Yu muttered again, “Ah… I want to protect Adachi-san so much.” The shadow gave Adachi a slight squeeze which caused him to pout at the shadow. The shadow took that as a queue to stand back up, “So I’m sure whatever he does will be some version of that too.”
“...What do you mean?” Adachi turned to look at the shadow who just smiled in the same sickly sweet manner it regularly did before leaning back in to press it’s lips to Adachi’s and inevitably faded away, leaving Adachi alone with the sensation faintly residing on his lips.
He sat almost frozen, sensing a change in the atmosphere as those kids stood on the precipice of Magatsu Inaba. There was no point in yelling about what had just happened. Who would he be yelling at? It would be more incriminating to make a scene about it, so instead Adachi watched the layered sky as he muttered a soft statement to himself, “...This world is so strange…”
He didn’t linger too long. He had to go play the bad guy after all. Make those brats understand that reality isn’t so kind when it comes to dreams and aspirations and that the power of friendship doesn’t always make the difference.
Maybe…