I teleport myself back home.

"Mum, you're back!" (K)

And she clings to me.

"Sure, Kuri." (I)

Then mum arrives as well at my room.

"Do you have any idea how long you were away? It's already late evening. Miss Sato already called to ask where her daughter is. It was quite difficult to deceive her that her daughter isn't currently in some otherwordly dimension. And I don't feel great about lying for you." (S)

"Sorry, mum. I better bring her over directly. Just let me quickly grab her stuff." (I)

"Sigh, did you at least have fun?" (S)

At this, I can answer her with a bright expression.

"Yes we did!" (I)

"Well, that is what matters. But you shouldn't wait for too long. Chiaki's mother sounded worried." (S)

"I'll instantly move there." (I)

"I guess teleportation comes in handy." (S)

Fortunately, Chiaki only brought that super mini bag with her.

That should still be left in my castle now that I think about it.

Well, it's not like her mother saw what she took with her or she might've questioned why it's only such a small bag.

I'll just later on replace everything she has lost.

"Sorry, mum, but I should hurry and let Chiaki out. You know how it is if I stall this for too long." (I)

"Sure, just be careful... And she's gone. Sigh, sometimes I believe it was easier when she wasn't an almighty goddess." (S)

While I act as if I didn’t hear that last part because of some weird awareness I maintain around our home, I have to decide on a teleporting destination.

Actually, I have no idea where I currently am while being stuck in teleportation.

Somewhere in-between I'd say, where my first concrete thought might transport me.

Since I don't want to walk too far and the streets are too open I decide again on the highest floor in Chiaki's apartment complex.

This should do nicely.

So I materialize directly there and bring Chiaki over.

"Whah-, Uh. Okay, no screaming. I'm fine. But if anything that part is going to cost a star for the final review of that resort." (C)

She still seems to be somewhat stable.

If this place I just created is really endurable then now I might even have a place where I can store people without granting them too much access to my inner realm.

I mean, nobody can complain if I'm sending them to a spa resort, right?

"Just one?" (I)

"Four is still decent and for the rest, this place really provides what it promises. By the way, this certainly isn't your home." (C)

"Yes, this is your place. Or one floor higher. Your mother got worried, so I decided to teleport here directly and spare you a second trip to make it in time." (I)

"Fine, but next time I'd like to be informed. You have no idea how cut off I feel during that storing time." (C)

I have plenty of testimonies by now.

"Anyway, I'm now going to deliver you back to your parents. Uh, and take this." (I)

Quickly, fleshy mass spreads from my hands, forming first a ball, and when I give it shape progressively takes on the form of Chiaki's lost bag.

"Wow, is this a special brand?" (C)

"Yeah, it's from "Iori designs" and the branch is coded with "Nightmare". Please, I just don't want your parents to grow suspicious." (I)

"Sure! Who else can say they own something from a demonic goddess? I'm just sad I don't have that toothbrush anymore." (C)

Groan!

She just had to bring this up again.

"Whatever. But this time you should go alone. Your mum was right last time that it doesn't make sense if I bring you only to walk the same way back home." (I)

"Well, can't deny that this would be redundant. But I'll see you tomorrow in school. And don't go to that resort without me!" (C)

It's a bit difficult to keep this request considering that it's kinda a part of me.

"Well, goodbye, Iori. See you later." (C)

"Likewise." (I)

Even before Chiaki is down the stairs, I teleport back home.

Just a blink and I stand in our living room.

"Oh, Iori. That was fast! Did you already see Chiaki off?" (S)

"Yes. You won't believe it, but I think I kept her occupied enough today so that even she got tired over time." (I)

"Wow. I mean, we're talking about Chiaki here. Her and growing tired, that is... unordinary." (S)

Sure, as I said, that girl is a nuclear battery of energy.

At least she's literally on the same level.

"By the way, is Kuri with you? I couldn't find her anymore after you left." (S)

Did she again bond with my shadow?

I do a quick check of myself but can't find any traces of her.

Well, traces yes, since she's regularly in there but not the real thing.

"No. What should we do now? Where is she?" (I)

That super demon roaming the city sounds pretty bad.

"I don't know. I mean, it's not like we could call the police to look for her. And this poor girl is so helpless on her own." (S)

Is mum aware that we should be more concerned about everyone else but Kuri?

"Iori, can't you call her? I mean she has no phone but you can do so many things." (S)

Well, if I think about this, she originates from me, I'm connected to her in some way, and last time she was able to find me.

And besides this, as far as I know, my growth is spreading continuously.

Which by itself is rather bad but comes in handy at times.

"I guess." (I)

"But mind your own position. Nothing too extreme please." (S)

Well, I suppose I should start on the small side to see if she comes before using the big tools.

There's no telling what else I might draw this way.

"Kuri! Where are you?! Come back!" (I)

The words are actually just for mum since the way I reach her is not on an auditory basis but instead, I use something like a mental signal and maybe some miasma as a carrier, hoping nothing evil responds aside from my little avatar of darkness.

So I wait for a short time since she can't teleport and like this has a travel time.

And well, she comes.

At first, I believe that there's a blackout since from one moment to the next the lights of the city are gone, but then I notice that in the distance some are still there and it's a local phenomenon that moves in our direction.

The black smoke enters through the gaps in the window, gathers in the room's center, and forms into a little girl.

"Mum!" (K)

"Hey Kuri. Wasn't it possible to settle for a little less dramatic entrance?" (I)

You know, instead of scaring everyone to death who's looking out their window currently.

With some luck, they'll explain it as a local weather phenomenon where suddenly a fog of deepest darkness comes down.

The late hour might help sell this explanation.

"Sorry." (K)

Sigh. I can't be mad at her if she's looking at me like this.

And fortunately, the fog should ironically have made it impossible to trace anything back to our home.

Also, mum is already pulling a good chunk of the lingering darkness inside her.

"Glad that you're back. But I think this was enough excitement for a day. I think it's time for bed now." (S)

The circling darkness around her is rather convincing not to retort to this, even if it's not too late yet in my opinion.

Ten minutes earlier.

I've got it! I've got it on tape!

I knew I wasn't crazy!

Last time, when I heard the screams of the Sato child I knew something was up but later on they acted completely normal.

When her friend left I followed from a distance but... I still don't know what I saw back then.

Anyways, that's not my concern but a job for the officials.

Therefore I installed a camera to observe the area in front of the door.

And now I've got her!

With this kind of evidence, they won't call me crazy anymore at the police station!

I'll prove it to all of them!

And it's perfectly legal to secure one's own front door, so I'm good.

"Whosh"

Suddenly the whole room turns dark.

"My mother doesn't want this." (K)

"Wh-what?"

I can't see a thing, but dark smoke crawls closer and closer toward me.

"Sorry, I just by chance noticed what you’re doing here. Would you please not do what you intend to do? My mother really doesn't like to be seen and this would make her sad. So please, don't do this!" (K)

At this, the darkness intensifies.

I can't even make out the contours of my own home.

Everything around me is pitch black.

I’ve lost my orientation, so I turn one way and another, until suddenly I’m face to face with a girl that somehow levitates at my height.

However, something is definitely not right with her.

Liquid darkness flows from her eyes, her hair almost seems to grasp at me, and her complexion makes her look like a living dead.

But the worst isn't this completely irrational sight in front of me.

It's the primal dread I feel while looking.

"Please, give me the record!" (K)

The voice echoes in my head.

From pure fear or an unnatural compulsion, I don't know, but I hand over the tape before anything worse happens.

She almost rips it from my hands.

Then she holds it, darkness gathers around it, and the object that was just there is gone like a faded memory.

And promptly my home is almost bright again.

Even the darkness around the girl almost seems to have vanished.

And for some reason, she childishly smiles at me.

"Thank you very much!" (K)

Then she looks confused left and right.

"Huh? Where is mum? I need to go looking!" (K)

Then its body evaporates in black smoke and draws through my doorstep.

What the hell just happened?