"Mum! Are, are you okay?" (I)

"I... guess. Sorry, but I need some moments to process this." (S)

"Okay. But did, did I hurt you?" (I)

"I think I lack the words to describe this. I just feel a little... bare? And really, how it looks in there... A mix of an endless empty space and at the same time it's completely filled with weird touching presences. It's... hard to think about it. I think I don't want to." (S)

"I would abstain. The inner world of gods isn't something a human should try to analyze." (Z)

Oh, she's still here.

"I'm sorry mum. I didn't want to traumatize you." (I)

"It's fine, yet I doubt mother and daughter should be this close. Brrr, the touches! However, we are out there. Thank you. Zika was it?" (S)

"You had to tell her my name, huh? Damnit! At this rate, everyone will know and I am going to become the next "Bloody Mary"! And don't believe I missed that forgot to take me with you! Hadn't I jumped behind through the rift I'd been stuck in this dimension!" (Z)

Uh, yes that's certainly true.

I was so focused on getting mum back to her body that it completely slipped my mind that Zika would still be there.

Well, I'm sure eventually I would have remembered her.

Probably.

"Sorry for your troubles. And I will try to keep your name to myself." (S)

That is rather nice of mum, considering she says this to a demon.

Yet this one somehow saved us.

"I'm more concerned about this little chatterbox there." (Z)

"You were the one who gave me your name." (I)

"Because I was in mortal fear!!! How you would feel if suddenly a goddess plops up in your zone and threatens to devour you!" (Z)

"Iori!" (S)

"I haven't done anything like that!" (I)

"You are a goddess. Your kind always does this. And now please excuse me. I want to feed on your mother while she still presents such a nice banquet." (Z)

"Don't you dare!" (I)

"Excuse me?" (S)

"I think I mentioned that Zika feeds on emotions?" (I)

"Negative emotions! I mean seriously! Disgust, fear, small rests of panic, stress, anxiety, and as topping being totally worn-out. It's like you're baiting me with all these emissions. What a feast!" (Z)

She licks her lips in the most disturbing way.

And this list was nothing I needed.

"You can't drain my mother!" (I)

"I already said if you're calling me you should be ready to pay the price. Besides it would be advantageous for her." (Z)

"What do you mean with, advantageous?" (S)

"Simple. When I devour someone he might feel drained but the emotions are gone. You wouldn't believe how many suicides I've already prevented. I'm a hero." (I)

While her morals are definitely twisted, I am not even sure if she's telling the truth.

And much less I'm willing to let a demon do whatever to my mother.

"I'll allow it!" (S)

"What? Mum! Are you sure? Why?" (I)

"Because she's absolutely thoroughly finished, simpleton." (Z)

"Why, why are you saying this?" (I)

"Great ones! She puts up a strong front for you! You don't even have an idea how to control this twisted reality inside of yours! Even I don't want to know what horrors she just has seen. That's the kind that makes even experienced veterans in years jump screaming out of their bed. If I feed the associated emotions away this will preserve her sanity." (Z)

I look uncertain at mother.

She avoids my gaze.

Zika was right!

And guilt starts to wreck my mind.

Just as I had apparently hers.

"Why didn't you tell me that would happen, Zika?" (I)

"I've told you all the possibilities you had! Would you really have chosen a different one?" (Z)

Probably not.

Killing her and ripping her forcefully back into her body while causing probably severe damages to her mentality weren't real choices.

Yet what I have done was apparently causing harm as well.

"So let's get started!" (Z)

Mum sits on the bed while Zika draws close.

Mum said she wants this and I don't want to force my will on her.

"Please, just focus on what was the most unpleasant to you." (Z)

This smile is absolutely creepy.

I notice that she partly transforms.

These green-yellow demon eyes become visible and her teeth grow.

With my smoke vision, I can see mum's aura.

Just now I realize that it got darker in color.

That smirk on Zika's face grows so wide that it sends shivers all over me.

She builds herself up in front of my mother.

Mum's smoke starts to shift around her.

I can see how the darkness gathers and thick black smoke builds up, only complimented by a bit of her pink-violet color.

Zika's smirk transforms into a wide gaping hole.

Bigger than it should be humanly possible.

She seems to breathe, but instead of air the black smoke drifts towards her, and all of it gathers inside her mouth.

"Gulp!" (Z)

Like this, all of the blackness vanished.

With a deep smile, she licks her lips.

"I-I feel... more at ease. Did you do something?" (S)

"Wait, you didn't see?" (I)

Zika gives me a look.

Stupid!

Naturally, she couldn't!

She cannot see auras!

"If people would notice I had quite some problems don't you admit?" (Z)

"What are you talking about?" (S)

"I, I can kind of see peoples auras or something like this and she... she did eat something there. Yet this something looked bad." (I)

"Oh. Okay." (S)

"Well, that had a great taste! This is enough compensation! I'm leaving then. Bye!" (Z)

"Wait!" (S)

Mum?

What does she want?

"What is? I had my share. Business is done!" (Z)

"Could you please stay a little?" (S)

"This is certainly the first time someone wants me to linger." (Z)

Why would she want this?

"Could we please... I don't know. Can we talk so that I know what the hell is happening to my daughter?" (S)

"Mum..." (I)

"Tsk, only if you promise me that your calamity of a daughter isn't going to devour me and by all means stops to call my name whenever it's convenient for her and tells it to everyone who listens!" (Z)

She's really pissed about that.

Zika passes by into the living room and throws herself casually on the couch.

"So... Anything special in mind or do you want a crash course in demonology?" (Z)

My mother slowly followed behind that demon who acts now as if she owns our apartment.

"The crash course, maybe?" (S)

"Fine! But please tell me where to stop, before your little human mind does collapse. I really have no intentions to deal with the aftermath with your daughter." (Z)

After this, she starts to explain the stuff she already told me.

How lingering thoughts, souls, and dreams can bear entities who practically are responsible for all my recent problems.

Then more about the planes beyond, how creatures from there are giving their all to snuck into ours, and similar creepy stuff.

My mother takes it surprisingly well, what either might be that she got used to it or that Zika cast another charm without me noticing.

"And... those demons are now possessing my daughter?" (S)

"Just half of the truth and like this completely wrong. She in fact is possessing herself. If there would be anything left to possess." (Z)

"Sorry, I don't understand." (S)

"Didn't expect so, human. The sole fact that it is her own soul which came back, and no other foreign presence, led to a complete integration. Her body, mind, and soul, together with all these critters she accumulated merged in a way like it never should happen. Just in case you thought about exorcism and such stuff. It's already futile regarding the amount there is to get rid of. But also, there's no distinction between her and that what causes her condition. It didn't just go so far that it takes over her body but instead defines it new. Exorcism just tries to expel the demonic presence. But at this point, if you take the demon parts away there wouldn't be anything left. She is pure!" (Z)

"So... like you?" (S)

"Duh! Yes, absolutely! If she would have the origin as an accumulation of materialized desires and I would be a billion times more powerful. Totally like me!" (Z)

Okay, now you are ridiculing her.

"How do you mean more powerful?" (S)

"The way I said it. There is this kind of private realm she can shape at will inside her! Today she sucked you in there, tomorrow it might be the town. Not even mentioning what could come out from that place. It's a giving and taking. She gives to us all outside these fluffy little nightmares inside her and in exchange takes whatever she wants from outside into that realm. If she is now causing an invasion or lets the stars fall, the result stays the same. A totally twisted world with altered reality, we all for sure don't want to exist in." (Z)

This sounds seriously terrifying.

Can such a thing truly happen?

"My daughter would never do such a thing!" (S)

"Oh, did I say she needs to do it consciously? Sorry, my mistake. The fact that she has no idea what kind of entropy she embodies now is as dangerous as evil intent itself. A toddler playing on a hydrogen bomb with the blinking buttons! What could possibly go wrong?!" (Z)

I am really creeped out by now!

She never said it this drastic.

"Fine, but as far I understand it, you wouldn't wish for this. So how can we prevent such a situation?" (S)

"Well, whatever you do, don't pray. Seriously not! Best to avoid everything that might bring thoughts into existence. And especially make sure she keeps herself together. Emotions are raw thoughts. Raw power. This would not end well." (Z)

"But with all that is going on, how should it be possible for Iori to stay calm?" (S)

"If until now she managed there should be at least the shallow possibility that she can cope with her situation in general. What I'm more concerned about are outer influences. It wouldn't really help if she slips up and angry mobs form to hunt down the demon. Aside from that, there are also ghosts, demons, certain organizations, and the great ones. There's an abundance of things that can cause your little girl to lose it. For now the most important is that she has a home. Before she begins to shape one in her own realm on the cost of the existence of the one we have here." (Z)

"Umh, I wouldn't want to cause any problems to anyone." (I)

"I don't know, Iori. This thing with these thriving things in the bathroom. What was this?" (S)

"I-I panicked and wanted to prevent anyone from coming in." (I)

"Great ones! In other words, you were just this close to suck your bathroom into another dimension with your thoughts. And who knows what else!" (Z)

"That could happen?!" (I)

"Sure! Don't know what you want to hear from me there. That everything that comes out of you is perfectly harmless? Come on!" (Z)

"Fine, I'll try my best not to let them out again." (I)

"And what can I do to help?" (S)

"Those typical mother things. Care for her, listen about her problems, as disturbing they might be, and then tell her that everything is alright, even if it's a lie. Whatever is soothing her means one more day for this world. I'm in for it!" (Z)

"Then why did you start this stupid action with disclosing everything to mum before? This was extremely dangerous, right?" (I)

"Because, my little terror goddess, I like to know what I am at. If your mother had decided to abandon you, what supposedly had caused a major breakdown, then there would have been no helping to it. And your mother realizing that something is wrong is the kind of thing that is bound to happen. Strange things will simply occur around you. It was just a question of time until your mother finds out. But in this case, I could at least know when it happens. This is better than uncertainty!" (Z)

So she wants to have stuff down from her list.

"Now I at least know that there is a slight chance. This is enough to justify a minor activity from my side." (Z)

"I thought you didn't want to help?" (I)

"I don't! But at least I can introduce you. I just wanted to make sure that you wouldn't either way go crazy. I despise futile effort. And don't tell me you would have been able to manage. I know better about these matters!" (Z)

"Fine. I, I think I get most of this. Just... is it save to go back to sleep?" (S)

"Sleep? It's 5:30! School starts in two and a half hours. Is now really the time to go back to bed?" (Z)

"What? Bu-but I had no rest and am completely spent! Was it really this long?" (S)

"Please, don't try to come with time! It's not the same over there!" (Z)

"Gosh! How shall I get through a day at work?!" (S)

"Welcome to my world mum!" (I)

"If you need energy I would ask your daughter if she has some. Mine you won't get!" (Z)

"Huh? Energy?" (S)

"Or life essence, ki, emotional force! Call it whatever you want! Your demon daughter is generating a whole world filled with it! No idea how many souls she already has absorbed in there and shaped into something new. But if you ask her I'm sure she would share." (Zika)

"S-souls? N-no, I better abstain. This is getting a little bit too crazy for me." (S)

"Whatever makes you sleep better. Or not. Now sorry, but since "someone" had to rip me out with high authority calls there are things I need to attend now!" (Z)

Without uttering another word Zika leaves through a burning magic circle.

That's another burn mark on the floor.

"Sigh! Couldn't she at least have used the one from last time?" (S)

I have no better idea. so all I can do is to shrug.

"Okay, I will make breakfast! Is... Is eating possible with your... you know." (S)

"Umh, yes. I am not entirely sure if I have to, but yesterday I ate quite much. It's just... not really filling. But I am not hungry as well." (I)

"Then I can make us something. Good to know!" (S)

I've got the feeling she simply ignores the problematic parts.

But I won't pursue this, as it might be for the better to do so.

I use the time I have at home to take a look into the mirror in the bathroom.

Rather terrifying!

I mean I can totally understand why people could be scared by this appearance.

The eyes are still unusual.

And there is this stain under my eyes.

The tears left quite a path there.

I don't want this and sprinkle the ink with water.

Just before I open the drainage of the sink I remember that I didn't want to cause a catastrophe and stop.

Zika said this stuff is totally dangerous!

Which reminds me:

What happened with that from last time?!

Promptly, I have an idea.

I reach out with my hand to the stained sink and concentrate a bit.

Directly it starts to ripple strongly.

A moment later, the black ink gets elevated and separates from the current, gathering together above in the air.

The problem is what I shall do now with this ball.

Drinking it might make it disappear.

But naturally, I'm against this approach.

Honestly, I don't really want to put such dirty, vile stuff back into my body.

Simply the thought is totally disgusting.

Already the incident when I brushed my teeth was pushing it.

So instead, I empty a half-filled bottle of conditioner and refill it.

I can just hope no one wants to use this.

To be safe, I write a warning on a label and put it on.

Next, I take my school uniform.

The sensation of these new ears slipping through is really strange but far weirder is how much these strange things feel like a part of my body.

After I'm done I join mum at the table.

She is clearly through, but not as much that it would be dangerous.

I would just want her to take a break.

I believe especially Zika's draining weakened her.

Breakfast for the rest goes mostly without incidents.

The only thing would be that my fingers are far too long to hold the chopsticks comfortably.

I am not sure, but I believe seeing me like this acting normal does help her a little but.

So time goes by and I need to get on my way.

I grab my bag, go to the door, and...

"Sweetie; didn't you forget something?" (S)

"Forget? What?" (I)

"As much I love you and there is really nothing to be ashamed about, but don't you think people might find issues with your horns? Or the tail? Maybe it would be better to avoid this." (S)

"Eeekh! I, I completely forgot! Sorry! Sorry, sorry, sorry!" (I)

Instantly I shape back.

Everything that's protruding out gets sucked in and all the strange deformations form back to normal.

Like this, my normal looks finally come back to me.

However, I check everything twice at the next mirror.

It's a relief that my body isn't disturbed anymore.

"This was really impressive. A complete change of appearance. But either way, you're cute!" (S)

"Geez, mum!" (I)

Slightly embarrassed I step through the door and close it behind me.

Hopefully, the school is still normal.