Eldritch

Next, I arrive at class.
Makoto is, for some reason, again nowhere to be seen.
I suppose it's this special training his crazy mother forces him to take on.
Not like I could do anything about it.
I try to sit down inconspicuously, but the gawking eyes of my classmates are a bit hard to endure, and I wish I knew how Zika manages to merge with the background so well.

"Heya! Good morning, everyone!" (C)

Fortunately, Chiaki's entrance manages to draw the attention away.

Then the questioning begins.
Are we now a pair?
How long has this already been going on?
Is it serious?
Somehow, Chiaki manages to get through this with non-answers like a seasoned politician.

Then, eventually, class begins.
Unfortunately, this leaves Chiaki free to focus back on me.
I feel like every time I give her as much as a side glance, she wriggles her eyelashes at me or makes gestures that she wants to speak to me.
Among other things.
I decide not to give in to her teasing.
Not like anything good will come from this.
However, even with my eldritch cheat powers, I'm distracted, as I can't completely avoid looking at Chiaki.

And, with the end of the first segment, my avoidance strategy comes as well to an end, as I'm no longer able to avoid her.

"Hey, Iori. Why are you so distant? You've been like that all weekend. I thought it got better?" (C)

Alright, I need to do something.
I may not be able to divert the general attention, without falling back to outright mind-control, but I can at least make them not focus on what we say in particular, which allows us at least to speak freely.

"How would any of that have gotten better? We got involved in the games of another outer god, you stabbed me, and just yesterday I learned that there's a cult dedicated to me whose leader just had to learn about my true name! Not to forget about the 'punishment' I got for losing this rigged game. So no, my mood isn't the best." (I)

"You can be glad that Zika isn't here to hear any of this. She would totally freak out!" (C)

"You can be assured, I do." (Z)

Zika!?
When did she show up?
Shouldn't my perception abilities manage stuff like this?

"It seems you're wondering why you didn't notice me. My personal guess would be that my recent untimely end, followed by an even more untimely resurrection, basically coated me in your scent. You recreated me, and this suffices to blend in with the weave you spread over this institution." (Z)

That's as good an explanation as any other.

"Hey, Zika! Nice to see you!" (C)

Yeah, that brings me back to how she apparently lost any form of apprehension of demons.

Not to forget that she lays her arms around me from behind.

"I see, Sunny Girl is still hard at work to end the world as we know it." (Z)

"What do you mean?" (C)

"You're right now oozing so many pheromones and romantic thoughts, one could think you're an animal in heat!" (Z)

"Hey, that isn't nice!" (C)

"I'll try to be more accommodating once you stop poking the world devourer." (Z)

"Is there a reason you're here?" (I)

"Don't want to miss out on class?" (C)

"You wish. I came merely to report that your little cult encountered some issues while going about the task you gave them." (Z)

That shouldn't surprise me.
As if things could just once go my way.

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"However, while I tried to define my position among the school wonders, it seems I was missing out on greater developments." (Z)

"Uh, right. Chiaki and I got abducted by some weird entity that not even I could handle. It ended with my loss, and me getting punished with having my name spread throughout the multiverse." (I)

"Damn. I knew that something was up, but right now I wish I'd not be bound to you and all the trouble you incur." (Z)

"Also, Chiaki stabbed me." (I)

"I already said I'm sorry for that!" (C)

"It was an oversized broadsword, Chiaki! Filled with pure light essence!" (I)

Though, the action itself might be linked to the fact that her mind is affected by her old life.

"Yeah, that part doesn't surprise me all that much. You might be lucky that she didn't already start a crusade against you, the way her soul acts more and more up." (Z)

Wait a moment!
Zika is like the greatest expert about things like souls and emotions I know.
Does she maybe know more about this Anameri thing?

"Zika, do you know something about this? Please, tell me. What is wrong with Chiaki?" (I)

"Sure. Her past life is acting up. Wasn't there something about some ancient priestess?" (Z)

"What do you mean? I'm all good!" (C)

"Please, a month ago you were shaking like crazy at the mere thought of interacting with a demon, but nowadays you're the first to suggest every kind of dangerous venture, no matter how crazy or reckless it sounds. Even taking into account that you grew numb to horrific stuff, this isn't normal, Chiaki." (I)

"Yeah, that's the issue with resurfacing soul memories. The affected usually don't notice personality changes that feel natural to them." (Z)

"Excuse me?" (I)

"It's possible that a soul retains memories. Especially the stronger ones. While the cycle cleansing can wipe the stuff that's saved on the brain, this doesn't necessarily go for their imprint on the soul. Now it's depending on how strong the imprint is, as they can be glossed over and gradually worn away by repeated treatments, like a stone withering in the weather, so the details become muddy. But as I said, some stronger ones can never be fully erased." (Z)

"But if that comes from her soul, what changed that it does affect her now like this?" (I)

"If I were to guess, I would say the activation of her lifeforce. The stone metaphor wasn't entirely accurate. One could see those carvings as well as circuits. Of course, her past persona would eventually resurface if energy runs through said channels." (Z)

This seems to even get to Chiaki.

"B-but I do feel fine!" (C)

"Of course you do! Stacked with that much positive liveforce you are a miracle of physical health. Not to forget that it seems like you recently got additionally charged with some kind of similar magical element. Yet if I had to compare you to your former self, it's pretty clear that there are some major differences." (Z)

"Then... can we do anything about this?" (I)

If not, it means that what Soraja wanted to do to her back then will eventually happen. She would become this ancient high priestess and not, well, Chiaki.

"It might be better not to think too hard about this. It's probably already bad to mention it to her. Being aware only causes one to get completely avoidable self-doubts." (Z)

"Then why did you tell her?!" (I)

"First, you brought it up. Second, do you actually remember what I am?" (Z)

Now, even the emotion-sucking demon becomes sassy with me!

"But can't we do something? Anything at all? Like, separate Chiaki from the rest so she won't change?" (I)

"The persona is written into the very soul. It's not a different being, nothing you could cut off, but part of who she is. At this point, I would say she's already halfway there. Add some more of those memories, and you basically already got the end result." (Z)

But if that's the truth, what could we do about it?
A soul surgery like I did to Yoko?
Would that be the right way to handle this?

"Ehm, can I say something?" (C)

Well, ultimately, this is about her.

"Yes?" (I)

"To be honest, it sounds quite scary. To think that I'm becoming someone else. Yet, maybe the scary part is thinking about it? I don't know, but you're saying I did already change? In this case, I'm already as I am now. I don't know, am I really so much different from before?" (C)

"Well, you were quite casual and overconfident before, but I'd say it got a little worse. You seem absolutely fearless recently, actively seeking out challenges and jumping straight into all kinds of crazy situations. It's actually a bit much to handle." (I)

"I concur. You display reckless behavior as if you have nothing to fear. I didn't even notice a speck of anxiety in your aura in recent times, which is unusual, as every human is anxious about something at times." (Z)

"Well, am I even in danger? I mean, were something to happen to me, Iori would put me straight back together, wouldn't you?" (C)

"As if I'd tell your Mum that you got eaten by some hellhound." (I)

"See? Also, that thing with Switchy actually freaked me out a bit. Isn't this an example for the opposite to be the case?" (C)

"A bit, she says. Seriously, if you don't have at least a severe trauma from this encounter you are already in a dire mental state." (Z)

This seems at least to be the general opinion about creatures such as these.

"All I want to say is that my soul is either to treat like spilled milk, meaning that there's nothing left to cry over, or that I'm fine as I am, which means that there's no reason to cry over this." (C)

Maybe she got a point there.
On the other side, this sense of positivity might only come from this ancient priestess in her mind.

"Okay. But I'm still pretty unsure about this." (I)

"You think I'm not? I'd very much prefer to go without an existential crisis, but the same as I want to believe that ultimately I'll remain myself, I want to believe that you're still my friend Iori, no matter what happened to you. So, as I do this in your case, it would be weird to use any other standards with myself. You can at least be sure, the part of me that is your friend, the part that wants to spend time with you, the part that is really, really sorry for stabbing you, that is all me. Whatever else is there didn't know you, so you can believe me on this." (C)

She gives me the most Chiaki grin I've ever seen on her, while her eyes sign absolute confidence.

"Fine. I hope there won't be major changes. But fine." (I)

"See? Worrying will only make you feel down. And this now comes 100% from me!" (C)

"Uff!" (I)

That hug definitely counts as an attack.
She squeezes so hard that I almost feel my ribs crack.
Yet at the same time, I feel oddly warm, despite her element opposing mine.

"Whoa, they're really making out in class?"

"That's bold!"

"Just a typical Chiaki action!"

"And Iori looks wide awake for once."

Why the hell did that hug, of all things that happened, after everything we talked about, have to be the one thing that got their attention?!