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Three evenly spaced knocks before a door creaked open, a sliver of light from the hallway spilling over the boy’s figure in the dark room. He laid in his bed, if he could even call it that, his.
Today marks 365 days, an entire year, an anniversary, of the final battle, of the final time he ever saw them. He hates to mention it now, hates to think about them, but every now and then someone’s lipstick shade is like hers, someone's sunglasses are just like his- and every now and then he feels their presence.
It wasn’t warm and inviting like the Hiskikawa’s, nor was it loud and obnoxious like the Aida’s or Regina’s. It was… still. Like a rock on the beach. Like a fallen log in a forest. Like two bat-winged adults who would sit in silence together, but in completely different tasks.
The sliver of light grew as Rikka held the door open more. She considered turning on the overhead light, but chose not to. She walked in, “Ira…!” she called softly. He stirred atop his sheets, too tired to have taken off his school uniform hours ago, its white fabric wrinkled from the same position he had been in since. His shoes were tight on his feet, his body still not used to real, heavy material instead of flimsy boots.
The dark room was cold, the open window letting in winter air and alongside it some snow. Rikka rushed over to shut his window, and brushed away ice from the windshield. She stood, watching the moon. It seemed solemn, low in the sky,
It reminded her of Ira lately.
Rikka walked over to his bed, his room was their guest room, it had been his for a year now, but he never bothered to personalize it much. The sheets on the bed were the same from before him, the closet in the corner had only a few of his clothes and the rest was empty. All he had done was place a bat plush that Rikka had gifted him on his bedside table, next to a frog themed lamp that she had also provided. She had wished to give it to him on his birthday, but was unable to get a response whenever she asked what day it was, almost as if he himself didn’t know.
The dark room felt lifeless, the lack of mess and personality made Rikka think of how kids hesitated to decorate their rooms after adoption due to trauma or lack of feeling secure, but as far as Rikka knew Ira had been adjusting well! As far as Rikka knew..
Ira had made a few friends in school, nobody held his past against him (except for Takuya, but Mana put him in his place quickly, and Regina teased him occasionally but was met with teasing back.) He was into volleyball and soccer, loved science and physical activities. He wasn't doing too awful in schoolwork either, especially not after Rikka started tutoring him. She also noticed that he was slowly growing closer with her family, her mother accepted him as her own, and it took her father a bit more time, but he eventually came to care for Ira and his awkwardness. The girls also took their time but trusted Rikka’s judgement (it took Makoto and Aguri months to even speak to him, and they are still cautious, but he hasn't done anything to prove Rikka wrong). But as Rikka watches him lay motionless on the bed, she realizes that maybe it isn't enough. Maybe.. maybe he misses them.
Ira stirred uncomfortably, the fabric rubbing against his skin. They were in silence for a while, Ira’s sniffles and heavy breaths filling the air every now and then, and Rikka felt sadness for him. She knew he was different, different physically, mentally, culturally. He was allergic to certain human foods, the sun burnt his pale skin painfully, his fangs confused dentists and his blood type was unlike any on earth. On earth and trump-kingdom, since the two worlds had been joined after the battle.
Joe had been busy with his new job, but didn't fail to share with Rikka every time he heard people talk about Ira, and man were they vile speaking about him. Rikka understood in a sense, he had personally contributed to the end of their world, but he was only a boy. A boy who had the misfortune of not being born a hero, and was doing what he was told without understanding the consequences.
365 days since Ira had last seen Bel or Marmo. He had wished to go with them to their 10,000 year sleep, but a force within him wouldn't allow himself to do such a thing. The spell that sent them to the sleep realm was long, and while Ira recited it with Marmo and mouse Bel, his words would keep slurring and messing everyone up. “What gives!?” Marmo would curse, Bel would urge Ira to focus, but after a few more attempts Ira couldn't bring himself to focus on the spell.
“I can't!” he yelled at his stunned teammates, and they shared a look. Marmo spoke, “What, you want to stay here or something? This isn't our first time doing this spell Ira!”
“I-I know that..! What if we stay a bit longer, we hide until-“
“Until what?” Bel interrupted, his tiny form climbing up onto Marmo's shoulder to look the boy in the eye (despite her protest of a ”dirty rat” on her clean clothes).
“Until the cures come for you? We're not like Regina, she gets to stay because she is part of the princess, she was always meant to stay, you are meant for nothing Ira. Nothing but destruction. You can’t hide from that.”
His words stung the boy, he knew he was right, he was meant for nothing but evil, and there was absolutely nothing on earth for him. But he couldn’t bear leaving. He fidgeted with his fingers.
Marmo sighed, roughly grabbing Bel and placing him back on the floor, “Ira lets just do the spell, in 10,000 years earth probably won’t even exist, and you would’ve forgotten about it anyway.” She couldn't look him in the eye as he avoided eye contact, staring at the floor. Marmo thought he looked like a small scolded child.
Ira nodded slowly and the three extended their arms, starting over again, the spell leaving their lips like glass. It wasn’t a spell any were a fan of, but they couldn’t survive without a master, without a direct source of selfish energy they would soon die. Ira's voice became quieter and quieter with every word, the earth surrounding them rumbled and symbols formed beneath their feet.
Butterflies grew in Ira's stomach and he gulped nervously. The earth beneath them began to crack, bright white magic appearing under. Ira recognized it as the portal, and when a crack began to form under him he moved away instinctively, only to be grabbed in place by Marmo. The ground was supposed to open up and swallow them, sending them to a realm where the only purpose was to sleep and be removed from existence until they were needed. Ira's whole body shook, he wasn't chanting at this point but the spell had already been done.
Marmo's grip on his arm weakened. The ground cracked like glass and Bel was the first to fall through, his small body easily falling through the cracks. Marmo looked at Ira, really looked at him. He was shaking slightly, small tears forming in his eyes. Marmo knew he wanted to stay badly, and although she didn’t understand the reason, she knew he would come to deeply regret not staying. And nothing was worse than regret. Taking a deep breath, she squeezed his thin arm lightly,“Well, It's now or never.” she whispered to him.
As the white magic illuminated under him brightly, Ira made up his mind. In a split second, he ripped his arm away, and flew up as high as he could, leaving Marmo as she fell down herself into the portal, her gaze never leaving him as he flew. He flew as fast and as high as he could, knowing he would never, ever see either of them again, so he didn't look back.
A tear fell down his cheek and Rikka placed a hand on his back, rubbing circles. It reminded her of what her mother would do to her as a child, and she hoped it brought him the same comfort. “Why don’t you come eat with us at Mana’s?” She whispered, hoping to cheer him up with food, he was very fond of the takoyaki. “Okay..” He grumbled, slowly sitting up. He wiped away his tears, and she hugged him. He hugged her back, her warmth comforting him, and after a while they separated. Ira finally managed to change out of his school uniform and into warm clothes and a jacket, Rikka also put on her jacket and boots. She led him the entire way to Pigtail’s holding his hand, the cold air hitting his face felt nicer than the sheets that were suffocating him.
He never did explain the details to anyone on earth about what happened that day he last saw them, and he never would for the rest of his life. His biggest regret was not taking Marmo with him, and the regret clutches him so hard sometimes he stays up at night sobbing. But in the end, he did what was best for him in the moment, he made his decision and she had made hers. No matter how much he hid from his past, how much he tried to forget, plaster a smile or suppress a remark, he knows and will always know who he is inside, a selfish. A selfish who figured out a way to survive off love instead of hate, no matter how painful it is. And like Bel said, he can’t hide from that. But for now, he can eat takoyaki.
.