We leave what's left of that sacred place.

I wondered if Kuri is fine but it seems she just became really quiet.

Nonetheless, there is a problem.

"Ding"

It wasn't apparent but it seems wherever we were, aside from a my-sense-of-time-confusing eternal morning glow there was also no signal.

Now on both our phones the messages flood in.

The reason was obvious the moment we left.

It got dark.

"So let me guess, your mum's the same as mine and got worried because we're still not back and didn't bother to write them that we're okay? And to top it all the last bus should already be gone and they might start a search for two lost girls." (I)

"Aren't you a little exaggerating?" (C)

"Honestly Chiaki, I don't know any other way to bring us back home without being far too late than teleporting. And that's a bit problematic." (I)

"Uhh, do we have to?" (C)

"I don't know if Kuri can carry us. She moves quite fast but this would be a little bit too fancy. And we shouldn't avoid this for too long or the monsters will come out at night and then Kuri will have to slaughter them again." (I)

"Okay! Fine! Just... Give me a second to prepare myself." (C)

She takes some deep breaths, makes some jumps, then knee bends, and after a while, it just looks as if she's stalling time.

"Chiaki!" (I)

"Yes, I know! You have no idea what you're putting me through there. Just thinking about these things..." (C)

"Sorry, but this is also your fault." (I)

"Oh sorry that the goddess telling me about my past life was a bit distracting for me." (C)

Can this be considered a quarrel?

The contents are a bit too unordinary to affect me emotionally.

"We need to do something. Is this really worse than what your mum would do if you return as late as you would?" (I)

"It's unpleasant but... fine. If you make it quick it won't be too hard. It's just very intense. I mean, back then you were touching me everywhere! Nothing left out, if you understand!" (C)

I really don't want to!

"You know, I can't do anything about the process itself, but maybe I can change how it happens. Is there a way you prefer? Slow and carefully? Fast? Crawling from below. The side?" (I)

"Just, just make it quick! Wait! From behind! Seeing what comes is as bad as not to see, so rather a surprise attack, please." (C)

She sits down and clusters herself together.

Tsk, as if she's here the victim.

I hate to use these powers.

They afford a kind of shapeshifting I cannot in the slightest bring together with my personal self-conception as a normal human girl.

All these tentacles, unformed flesh, and vile things are nothing I want to explode into.

Still, I have to.

With a mere thought, I start the reaction.

I feel a shifting inside me and without any resistance, I tear apart.

It doesn't hurt, it doesn't even feel foreign, and this just makes it so much worse.

As if my own body and even my subconsciousness are telling me it's fine that my stomach rips open and black tentacles and claws take the place of my flesh.

Chiaki shivers at the sound and just hugs herself a bit more tightly.

Meanwhile, my torso is almost gone and spreads in Chiaki's direction.

It builds up into a larger accumulation and like a wave at once comes down on her.

"IEEH..." (C)

Her shriek is quickly muffled down.

Then I feel just the familiar sensation of how her essence is getting dragged inside me along with the rest of the flesh stuff.

As always, I give myself an order that Chiaki's soul has to be preserved.

Then I realize that I have a little problem.

I can't just dump Chiaki in her room.

This would raise too many questions.

Somewhere else in the city would be bad as well as some random pedestrian might see me.

After some thinking, I simply decide to go for the upper levels of the stairway in Chiaki's apartment complex.

That's still a bit risky but I hope it will work out.

For Chiaki's sake, I shouldn't delay this any further.

With a thought, I'm there.

Okay, everything seems fine.

Now I just have to bring her out before she's losing it.

I guide that what I think is Chiaki out to my borders and again the shifting sets in.

It forms something like a cocoon in front of me and when this recedes Chiaki is back.

And apparently, she's still in perfect condition.

Well, aside from...

"Waaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!" (C)

"Chiaki, be quiet! We are in a building!" (I)

"I, I... What? Y-yes. Building. Home." (C)

"Ehm, shall I give you a moment?" (I)

"I, I think I'm again starting to think straight right now. It's just... I don't really know anymore! Argh!" (C)

"This bad?" (I)

"You have no idea." (C)

"I thought you said it would be easier if I make quick?" (I)

"Sorry, my mistake. It feels like an eternity without track of time in there. Now excuse me but I need to check my body if everything is where it belongs since you just took me apart." (C)

"To my defense, isn't this the theory behind beaming?" (I)

"Ah yes, I forgot, I'm going to call all those sci-fi series that they forgot the tentacles!" (C)

This would give that series a completely different image.

"Let's bring you home. Your mum is certainly already worried." (I)

"Guess you're right. And she would have even more of a reason to if she knew where I just was." (C)

Suddenly the door bursts open.

"Chiaki! What was that scream? I thought someone's dying!" (E)

"Ehm sorry. Chiaki thought she had a large spider in her hair." (I)

"Chiaki isn't afraid of insects." (E)

Great, I need to put more research into my lies.

"I can just say that we're very sorry." (I)

"Why are you even returning this late? Chiaki, why didn't you answer any messages? And Iori, you shouldn't have brought her here. It's already dark. You need your sleep!" (E)

In Chiaki's mum's eyes, I'm still the chronically ill, little girl.

Better just agree to everything and get done with it.

"You're right. I will be home this instant." (I)

"If you say so. Chiaki come inside. Before any neighbors come asking what this scream was about." (E)

I give my farewells and act as if I'm going down to leave the building.

Then I port back into my room at home.

There I notice that Kuri was the whole time in my shadow as she re-materializes.

Which was good, as I had no way to introduce her to Chiaki's mother.

Well, now I have to talk to mine.

"Mum! I'm back!" (I)

She soon comes back in.

"I am not sure if I'll ever get used to you suddenly appearing out of nowhere." (S)

"I thought you might get worried if I show up late." (I)

"If? Do you have any idea what time it is? While I'll admit that I may not have to worry that something happens to you, you need to admit that there is more than enough out there to be worried in general." (S)

Mum has a point.

I mean I'm just coming from a goddess who wanted to shoot me with holy powers.

This doesn't even include the threat from super demons, outer gods, and who knows what else is out there.

Yet she probably would have noticed if any of these would have attacked the town.

And then there are the things I could do unintentionally.

But those would probably as well end in the news.

"Sorry, got into trouble, or rather Chiaki pulled me into some of her past issues. Ehm, shall we now do this where I'm telling you everything about my day and your face stiffens more and more with each word I say?" (I)

"Sigh." (S)

She sits down on a chair.

"Begin." (S)

"Okay, first we went to that forest where Chiaki did her training stuff. She can now jump really high and is rather strong. Yet demons or such came, lured by this display of life force. But Kuri guarded us. But later there was suddenly a strange hovering ball of light. Chiaki just had to run after it and I tagged along. Which lead us to some shrine and subsequently a goddess. This one proclaimed that Chiaki was some great saint in her past life and threatened to shoot me and Kuri down because we're evil demons. We managed to solve this situation but apparently, that shrine was somehow cut off from the outer world, so we didn't notice how much time proceeded in there. And because of this, I am late." (I)

I tried to say everything with the most natural voice possible and added the last part in a way that shall tell her everything is fine.

However, mum's face is somewhere between disbelief, telling me I shall stop saying such ridiculous things, and nervous twitching.

"And how was your day?" (I)

"Oh, I watched a little TV, browsed the internet, wrote a bit on my novel, made some dinner, which is now cold, and WHAT THE HECK IS THIS ABOUT A GODDESS ATTACKING YOU!!!" (S)

With this outburst, a wave of dark energy emerges from her and scatters some of my stuff.

She as well looks quite perplexed at this.

"Ehm, maybe you should calm down? And I only got threatened. I managed to scare her enough that she stopped and we could solve everything peacefully." (I)

"You... scared... a goddess?" (S)

"Mum was great! She just showed her power and this person stopped to be unfriendly!" (K)

"Iori, explain. Is there anything else I should know? Something that might come in the news?" (S)

For a moment I contemplate if this spiritual wave I released when I revealed myself could be recorded by any kind of machine.

But I decide that this is unlikely and dismiss it.

"Nothing. Really. I just threw this talisman here away that can hide the maelstrom of darkness I cause." (I)

"Okay, fine. Then I will try to soothe myself with the thought that the mere presence of my daughter is enough to terrify gods. Sigh." (S)

"I'm really trying not to do anything outrageous." (I)

"I know. But it seems the outrageous stuff always finds you. At this rate you're going to be found out." (S)

"Maybe we should eventually do a family strategy meeting?" (I)

"Maybe. But for now I'm glad that you two are unscathed." (S)

It's actually wonderful of mum that she included Kuri.

I'd say the demon in question didn't even mind the danger when everything happened.

So it's nice that someone worries in her place.

And also gives her a hug.

"Please, stay safe." (S)

I guess Kuri has absolutely no experience with receiving this kind of affection.

At least she stays frozen for some time even after mum left the room.

I'm sure she'll eventually recover.

I just have to deal now with all the miasma she's releasing in her emotional turmoil.

And somehow tuck her into her bed later.

Sigh, another tough night where I need to stay awake.