She peeked at me from between her fingers. “She’s probably dead anyway, isn‘t she?”

”That doesn’t answer the question.”

”...It’s wrong to wish death on somebody.

“That still didn’t answer the question.”

Yukiko choked on her words. “Of...of course no-“

”Really?” I interrupted her, voice rising. “So if this girl had never existed, would your life not be better? Wouldn’t you be happier?”

I doubt it. I’m sure someone else would have stepped in to fill the role of bully, but that was better kept to myself.

Her hands clenched tighter. “...Yes. I wish she was never born. I hate her, so, so much.”

She got a faraway look in her eyes. ”I hope she’s dead.”

Thunder boomed as the crack finally split open, and something passed through, slowly, hanging upside down and only exposing the top half. It wasn’t the faceless amalgamation from before, no. This looked more like an... exaggerated caricature of a Japanese schoolgirl, still black like char. Her lips were disproportionately large, and her eyelashes were several feet long. Her breasts were wildly exaggerated, twice the size of her head, and bounced violently, splattering the black fluid everywhere.

She made eye contact with Akiko. “What are you still doing here?” she asked, voice somehow twice as ear-splitting as the decibels would imply. “This is the girl's locker room!”

I think I might honestly be more disturbed by this than the creature from before.

But enough said for me, Akiko had it worse. Her anger turned right back into fear, and she averted her eyes. She was conditioned like a dog to the mere sound of Midori's voice, twisted as it was.

I ignored the disgusting abomination hanging in the air and continued speaking. “Now, what would you do if you ran into this girl on the street, today?”

Akiko shuddered. “W-what?”

”Just answer the question, what would you do? Say hello? Try to hide? Avert your gaze?”

She didn’t answer. She didn’t have one. I suspect she didn’t go outside for the sole purpose of avoiding this exact scenario.

”If I were you, I’d tear her apart.”

Akiko looked at me, confusion in her eyes. “That’s..what...?”

”But that's what I’m trying to explain to you, kiddo,” I said, standing as best as I could, so I’d be eye level with her huddled form. “You can. The world ended, remember? No more rules, no more authority, no more society. All that’s left is strength.”

I looked her in the eyes. “You’re a monster.”

She froze, eyes locked with mine. The creature came further out of the hole, revealing a waistline only a few inches wide. It laughed and pointed fingers.

”But that’s what people need. That's what I need.”

I gestured to the horrific monstrosity. “If this girl survived, what do you think she’d be doing right now? Assuming she didn’t die in the initial apocalypse, and assuming she didn’t get slaughtered by a monster, what then? Her money? Gone. Her friends? Gone. Popularity? Family? Reputation? Gone, gone, gone.”

I laughed spitefully, voice raising as I continued my last-ditch effort. “The best a useless imbecile like her could hope to achieve is to whore herself out to someone with power and resources. She’s got nothing, do you understand? Nothing. How could you fear someone with nothing?”

Akiko was still locking eyes with me, but I could see emotion swirling under them.

I was yelling now. “And look at yourself! You‘re massive and powerful! You’ve saved an entire community subconsciously. You are an asset, a powerhouse, something to look up to! You can do anything, and nobody could stop you. If you saw that girl as you are now, do you know what she’d do?!”

”...She’d be afraid,” Akiko finished for me. She had stopped shaking. The sakura trees rotted away into ash, and the sky fell almost pitch black. The creature fell to the floor with a wet plop, landing on its head, which splattered and reformed at its top-side, eyes swiveling to us. Neither of us cared.

I grabbed her head and looked into her eyes. Her hair fell away, revealing a black, twisted void where her mouth should be. I expected something like that, so I didn’t even flinch. “You are the object of fear. You are the monster, the nightmare. So act like it.”

With those words, I saw it. A spark. Her eyes were glistening with emotions, confusion and trepidation, but I hardly noticed. I was too busy looking at her core. It wasn’t as clear and spherical as it should have been, it was...muddied, bumpy. It was being corrupted by the very energy surrounding us, the black of the dungeon itself.

This couldn’t continue, especially with death slopping towards us. The energy couldn’t be allowed to run rampant. It would ruin her. But, more importantly, it would ruin her potential.

It needed guidance. I put a palm above her stomach, where her core was, and followed instincts I didn’t know I had. I clenched my hands into a claw, bypassing her gnarled flesh...

And twisted.

She screamed, but I ignored her. I focused instead on the path of Aether, the structure of her core, the warring influences within her. Her core twisted and spiraled, forming a poor imitation of yin and yang. It began to siphon, pulling back her energy that was stolen by the dungeon...but it came back impure, tainted by an energy opposite her own.

Her flesh was warping, and her bulging veins turned black as night. The creature behind me began to wail too, sounding almost indistinguishable from the inhuman cries of Yukiko. The wind was howling, and the faux environment was long gone. All that was left with old, mossy concrete, stretching as far as I could see.

But I ignored all of that, and looked deeper. I was so close...I can feel the spark...just a little more...

There it was. A little bead of vantablack, buried deep under years of endurance, fear, and trauma. The little bead has been nursed in secret, for many many years. Hatred, resentment, spite, jealousy...it was all there, locked up tight, so well hidden that the very creator didn’t know it existed.

I can’t reverse years of abuse with words. I can’t inspire a coward to suddenly become brave. I can’t change who she is, fundamentally, with a mere pep talk from a man she’s barely even spoken to.

But I don’t need words anymore.

I ripped the bead open.

The next thing I knew, I was flying backward, dozens of feet. I smashed into the concrete, rolling far too many times as my limbs crackled and popped. The wave of dark energy I rode continued further into the distance, even as it lost the energy to carry my battered body.

I heard what I could only describe as crazed laughter. I turned to look at the source, and was amazed at what I saw.

I noticed the core first. It was twisted beyond recognition, pulled into a spiral, ever-churning, taking back what was stolen from the dungeon. It was blackened, but no longer muddied, as the dungeon’s energy stopped opposing her. The gentle white and the vengeful black mixed together in harmony, forming an even grey.

The girl herself was...changed. She looked healthy now, with pale yet full skin covering a well-fed and proportioned frame, though she was still eight feet tall. Her eyes were filled with mirth, and her perfectly full lips were twisted in spiteful laughter, though the smile extended a bit too far.

The creature was still there. But it weakened, smaller. It spasmed on the ground as its source of power was ripped from it. The eyelashes faded, and the lips, breasts, and hips crumpled to a normal size. It looked up, and opened its mouth.

”Waste...of...space...”

Yukiko just kept laughing. She laughed and laughed for what seemed like a minute, mouth wide open as she howled. And then, all of a sudden, she stopped, humor wiped off her face. Her red eyes settled on the false girl murmuring on the floor.

And then she smiled. All the way to the ears. “Not anymore.”

Her jaw unhinged, opening far too wide, and she leaped, using all four limbs, unnatural and inhuman.

I will say this: she devoured that creature. As to how, or how long it took, or the horrific, inhuman noises she and it made, I will not describe, because I’d honestly rather not picture this ever again.

Eventually, there was nothing left but a satisfied-looking girl, and a battered middle-aged man. She turned to me, and smiled, normally this time, despite the black and blood dripping from her mouth.

“Thank you,” she said.

As I gave an awkward smile and a thumbs-up from my prone position, I heard a sound like breaking glass all around me.

Then it all went black.

I woke up strangely comfortable, despite most of my body being damaged in some way. Opening my eyes, I was greeted with a beautiful sight.

It was a small town, with hundreds of black and white buildings lined up in neat rows - of various shapes and sizes. Far above was the ceiling, hundreds of feet in the air, with an untold number of soft white lights illuminating the entire chamber. Inbetween the metal buildings was wildlife, greenery and sakura trees, juxtaposing the monochrome color scheme.

Unfortunately, part of the view was blocked by rather sizable dodohonkeronos, which is what made me realize what position I was in. From beyond the hills peeked Yukiko, smiling peacefully, looking down on me.

”Ah!” I said, “This must be the famous Japanese lap-pillow.”

A familiar voice grunted from nearby. “The Japanese don’t have a monopoly on lap-pillows.”

I turned to see Goro sitting on a nearby bench, sword tip pressed against the ground, with his hands resting on the pommel. He looked bitter.

I hummed. “Are you sure? I don’t see it done anywhere else, and I’ve been around.”

”That's because nobody loves you.”

Jesus, man...

I looked back up at Yukiko, taking a moment to appreciate the ruby-red eyes. “So, how did I end up here?”

”The dungeon collapsed,“ she said, “And I found myself here, with you wrapped around a tree. Goro found us shortly after.”

I nodded. “I see. Seems like you missed the party, Goro.”

”...So it would seem.”

Ah, I see. “Is that why you’re sulking?”

He stared at his sword. “I couldn’t do anything. Silver didn’t work. I would have died.”

”Don’t like the feeling of weakness, huh? Well, the solutions simple enough.”

”Yeah,” he murmured. “So it is.”

An awkward silence descended on the group, and I immediately broke it, as no silence can be awkward with me in it. “I take it we’re still in the tower?”

”Yes,” said Goro. “It seems that this section covers second through fifth floor.”

”What makes you say that?”

He glared at nothing. “Because I climbed to the sixth while you were out.”

Oh boy. “And?”

”And it'sI on fire.”

”Of course it is. I take it you tried to put it out?”

He nodded. “It’s not going anywhere.”

Well, I guess I’m putting that on hold for a while. Got plenty of other shit to do anyway. “How long was I out, anyway?”

Yukiko answered for me. “It's been two hours.”

”Wow, that’s like, super bad for me.”

Goro stood to his feet. “It wasn’t head trauma. I suspect it was more magical in nature.”

I stared at my hand, remembering what I did. The feeling of Aether bending to my will. “I’m not sure if that's better.”

Goro shrugged. “At least you don’t have brain damage. I’m going to go scout the arena.”

I shooed him away dismissively, and he walked off in some random direction. I’m going to have to have a talk with the young man before his angst causes him to do something stupid, but I’ve talked about feelings enough today for a lifetime, so that’s also going on hold.

Yukiko spoke up. “...I said it before, but I want to make sure you hear it. Thank you.”

I looked into her eyes. She looked different, unrecognizable. Her fear and anxiety was nowhere to be seen, and a gentle poise filled her every movement.

This girl is important. She’s strong, can seemingly teleport, create barriers, and has the most powerful core I’ve seen yet. She would be an incredible asset to my little community, and her feelings of gratitude towards me is a reliable way to chain her to my side.

But, I‘m unsure of myself, and what I did, so I decided to be honest...against my better judgment. “I’m...not sure what I did to you. I think I changed you, fundamentally. Are you okay with that?”

She smiled gently. To her cheeks this time, no Cheshire to be seen. “I understand what you’re concerned about. You think it's like brainwashing, right? But I don’t think it is. It was more of a push towards something I was already capable of, like encouragement from a parent.”

Oh god, please never imply that again, I do not want to be your father figure. Oh Lord Jesus, I already am, aren’t I? End me.

”Maybe that’s just how people like us work. These...cores have already changed us beyond recognition. We are just more...malleable now.”

That's...a good way to put it, actually. “I see. Well then, would you like to stay and help protect my little community?”

”Of course. Where else would I go anyway?”

Touche’. Well then, there’s work to be done, tasks to be delegated, groups to organize. It was time to get this show on the road.

But, uh...maybe id sit here for a few more minutes.

It was extremely comfortable, after all.

”Too bad, Fucko!” yelled the Jester, scaring the shit out of me and causing my head to hit the ground as Yukiko flew backward, landing on all fours like a cat.

”Goddammit!” I yelled. “I thought I got rid of you!”

It laughed and tutted, twirling its cane around maddeningly. “I’m the caretaker of this domain, bucko, I’ll be here as long as the tower is, teehee!”

I could hear Yukiko hissing, so I held out my hand. “Relax, Yukiko. He’s just here to annoy me and deliver exposition.”

The jester played a merry tune of agreement on his kazoo. “Haha, you know me so well! That’s right, I’m here to deliver special news for a very special boy!”

He held his hands behind his back, drumming with his feet. “Can you guess what it is?”

”A muzzle?”

”Even better! A key to your new villa!”

”Wait, really?” I asked.

The jester frowned deeply, his voice taking a sudden dive in octaves. “Do I look like a fucking joke to you?”

I just stared at him for a few moments, before his frown turned back upside down. “Don’t answer that, hehe!

Not sure how, but he was now holding a clipboard and was wearing glasses. “Okay kids, are you ready for

W O R L D B U I L D I N G?

Don’t answer that, hoho!”

The jester cleared his throat.

“Congratulations on qualifying as a forerunner. Your leadership, power, and accomplishments are at the forefront of your species, and thus we have selected you as part of the prestigious group. As a forerunner, you will be granted additional rewards, privileges, and responsibilities for your deeds, future and past.

As part of phase one of the processing, you will be granted (1) weapon tailored for yourself, which shall serve as a symbol of your position. You will gain access to communications across other forerunners to better coordinate or plan aggressions.

In return, you will be at the forefront of any future incursions or events. As a forerunner, you are expected to be a significant contributor to any major battle. Failure to do so will result in a revoked status, and probable death.

Good luck, and remember, the world only needs one representative!”

The jester sighed, and threw the notepad over its shoulder. I heard a crash and a cat yowl, though I suspect there aren’t any cats here. “That was it. Ugh. Any questions? Good. Think fast!”

It threw the key at me, and I raised my hand to catch it. It curved in mid-air and landed in my other, closed hand instead. I looked up to snark a complaint, but the Jester was gone.

”What...was that?” whispered Akiko, still on all fours.

”The jester. Its complicated. Don’t worry about him.”

”Uh...Okay.”

I looked at the key in my hand. It was gold, and shaped like a dick.

I just sighed. “I suppose I should check this out sooner rather than later. Do you want to go give the rundown to my associates below?”

Yukiko slowly stood to her massive height. She blushed slightly. “I, uh...don’t know what to say. I’d rather not interact with them at all, actually. They won’t see me unless I want them to anyway.”

Fair enough. I suppose she was still antisocial by nature. “Then they can wait a while longer.”

It’s time to check out the new digs.