Eldritch

 

On the one side, I have here this starting-out cultist who I'm still quite unwilling to interact with.
On the other, I'm going to push a demon out of my body any moment now.
So the cultist might react better to such a thing.

 

"What are you even doing here!?!" (I)

"I usually read my books here on the toilet. It's peaceful." (N)

 

I can relate to this loner mindset.

 

"Urf! Wait, usually? It's still school time." (I)

"I, I used a little mind magic to get a toilet pass. The teacher won't ask later on." (N)

"You manipulated someone?" (I)

"Sure, it isn't very difficult. That was one of the first things I practiced." (N)

 

That's showing deep pits within her.

 

"Sorry, if I'm rude, but didn't I restrict you from doing so?" (I)

 

Mind control is, in my opinion, not a nice thing to do.
Instantly, her expression shifts and she panics.

 

"I, I didn't do anything evil with the powers you granted me, I swear! Please, believe me." (N)

 

Actually, I'm not sure about what kind of restrictions my other self put inside her.

 

"Okay, I'll try to believe you. I don't know what you did yet. So I can't judge." (I)

"Uh, there are actually quite some grey areas. Like going unnoticed, manipulating to avoid problems. As long as I don't intend to harm someone I can even use my abilities to my advantage." (N)

"And how do you know that you're not going too far? Urf." (I)

 

Shit, the Zika-like presence is clawing more violently.

 

"Whenever I'm thinking about doing something that would go too far I get something like a premonitional headache, which is a good indicator." (N)

 

Okay, I was so caught up that there was no time to send her away anymore.

 

"Wh-what is happening here?" (N)

"Actually, I wanted to do this alone. Urf. But seems like you're in for this." (I)

 

I notice how furious the presence inside me becomes, which puts me in a conflicted state between wanting to make it quick or avoid her coming at all.

However, I think if I go with the latter I’d have to do something drastic to make her stop.
And this would be mean and certainly really pressuring our relationship.

So I lift the final barriers that impeded the presence inside me.
Just in case it isn't Zika, I still mentally prepare myself to deal with whatever might come there.

Also, I have to steady myself for the traumatic body shifting I always experience in such situations.
Last time Zika emerged from my stomach, but this time she seems to aim a little higher.

It's... It's rising up my throat!
The tissue in my esophagus rips and deforms, rearranging the moment it happens.
It doesn't hurt, since I can't even feel pain in the usual sense as part of my shapeshifting powers, but it's certainly not pleasant.

 

"Bl-urbh, BLURB"

 

My mouth widens, spreading in an inhuman way, making my head bigger than it could possibly be.
Then the bulk of the mass reaches the end.
Sharp claws reach past my lips and propel it further.

 

"Bluuuuaaargh!"

 

She came out of my mouth!
My head is rearranging itself, while I massage the terribly afterimage in my jaw away.
I want to get back at her, but although she's in her demon form, that pitiful, stomach fluids covered mess on the ground is no proper target for a scolding.
Yet she wouldn't be Zika if she wouldn't quickly recover.
Her fiery greenish-yellow slits lock on me and I'm once again worried if I made the right decision.

 

"Did you seriously intend to keep me in there!?! I can't believe you!" (Z)

"Wait a moment! If anything, I should be the one asking how you got inside me in the first place." (I)

"We have a pact, dumbass." (Z)

"That's absolutely no explanation." (I)

"Do I really have to elaborate on this now?" (Z)

"You fucking came out of my body!" (I)

"Sigh. Fine. I got killed." (Z)

 

I'm not really sure if I'm hearing right.

 

"You got... killed?" (I)

"Yes. I had an unpleasant encounter with the charred man. He's getting cocky recently and I had to rein him in before he was about to opt for territorial actions. Those school ghosts tend to go on a rampage when they're in an existential crisis. This kind of attention is nothing you or I need here. Yet obviously it didn't work out that well. Just saying that burning to a crisp isn't all that pleasant." (Z)

"But if you died how did you end up... you know?" (I)

"Which part of us having a pact do you still not get?" (Z)

"The part where you're saying that you died after crawling out of my mouth!" (I)

"Do I have to spell it out for you? You are the anchor of the very idea of what I am. If I get dissipated I come back to existence within your dream. That's basically one of the essentials of our contract. Did you ever play any games? You're basically my respawn point, to put it simply." (Z)

 

What am I supposed to reply to such a revelation?
I'm still overwhelmed by the fact that someone who I consider my friend just died.
Even if this notation of hers is a little debatable.

 

"Anyway, what about the gawker over there?" (Z)

"Wha-, wha-, wha-..." (N)

 

Damn, I forgot about her, being distracted by all the retching.
The whole time I’ve been conversing with the demon I spewed out, she’s been watching every little thing.

 

"Uh, well... That's..." (I)

 

How do I even introduce her?

 

"Oh right, I remember. The cult you formed." (Z)

"They're not my cult!" (I)

"Uh..." (N)

"No prayers! No sacrifices! No recruiting! And you won't get nothing from me!" (I)

"A-as you wish." (N)

 

I should've added no revering proclamations.
Which she will only take as me setting up rules for the cult.

 

"Is, is this another demon? I-I know, stupid of me. What else would she be?" (N)

 

It's quite obvious since Zika has bat wings, blade claws, exposed fangs, is overall ashen black, and doesn't even try to act as if she'd be anything else than a living nightmare.

 

"Yes, I'm a being from beyond the veil, affiliated with your goddess, and you can as well just kneel. As long as you won't disturb our conversation. By the way, Iori, I won't tell you how you have to lead your cult, but your believer seems insufficiently informed." (Z)

"Fine. You see, this is Zika, a demon I have a pact with. If you paid any attention to our previous talk then you should know everything there is to this." (I)

"I didn't say that you could give her my name. Again." (Z)

"Sorry. I won't do this again if you’d stop bursting out of my body like a fucking alien to come back to life." (I)

"You perfectly know that I can't do anything about our deal at this point. It's not like I died because the ride was so fun." (Z)

"Wow. You, you really remade her? Brought her back to life? Could I get the same deal?" (N)

"Sure. If you're fine with binding your soul to another being for eternity. Yet if I were you I'd abstain from corrupting your soul in such a manner. It's not recommended for mortals. You have other options." (Z)

 

She doesn't even dare to speak up.
And I'm not sure if this is because of the status as my confidant Zika applied to herself or her more than intimidating appearance.

 

"Could you maybe shape back to normal?" (I)

"You mean 'human' since this is my normal. But as you wish." (Z)

 

It only takes a moment for her claws to draw back, the wings to retract, and her skin to turn to a humanish pink shade, so that in front of us stands Karin Caspers, the exchange student.

 

"Wait! I think I know her!" (N)

"Oh, one of the really smart ones, huh? Anything else you'd like to add? Want to know me closer?" (Z)

 

Yep, that's Zika.
I'm quite sure that this relationship won't end well.

 

"She might appear scary, but in truth, she is quite laidback. You don't need to worry." (I)

"Tsk, at least not if you're restricting me like this." (Z)

"I just don't want you to harm them! Wait, this isn't the point. What about the charred man? You said he's going to do something extreme?" (I)

"Not anytime soon. It wasn't a completely one-sided beating. I got some good hits in. As long as I wasn't gone for weeks we should still have time." (Z)

 

Hm, as we talked just yesterday, it can't have been too long.
On the other side, I'm not entirely sure if I completely fixed the time dilation issue in my dream.
Reassembling might still take a bit of time, yet more in a relative way with how the affected one perceives it.
What I'm sure about is that she wasn't in class today, so it should've happened some time ago.

 

"And it's really going to be fine?" (I)

"You should do something about it sooner rather than later since you're the cause, but yes, for now we're good." (Z)

"Because of me?!" (I)

"What do you think stirred him like this? Your influence is spreading and he was the top honcho before. Of course he's agitated." (Z)

"And what do you want me to do? Kill him? You know that's not the kind of person I am." (I)

"Sure, let him go on a rampage." (Z)

"That would make you happy, huh? This kind of chaos." (I)

 

I can already see her lurking after those who are stumbling through the ruins.

 

"Well, I'm weakened and need to eat something so a little tragedy would come in handy." (Z)

 

Why is she looking at the girl while saying this?