The Lightning Flash

Chapter 35: The True Face of Evil

6 Months Ago:

"So, how's School been going for you, Shino?" asked a psychologist, who had been working with Shino, since the post office incident.

Shino was staring, emptily, at the carpet under her, not saying a word.

"Not in a very talkative mood, today?" questioned the psychologist, worriedly. "It's okay. Not every day can be a good one. Just to be sure, I am...talking to Shino, right now, correct?"

Shino nodded her head, yes, sadly.

"Sorry, I'm not trying to be rude by ignoring your question," Shino responded, still looking down. "School has just been...hard, lately...even harder than usual. All of the kids...they just...talk about me like I'm some kind of...monster. They're all too scared to even speak to me, directly, or hang out with me...not that I had much in the way of friends before what happened at the post office."

"Sounds lonely," commented the psychologist, sadly. "I'm assuming you haven't made any friends, then?"

Shino shook her head, no.

"Well, don't give up hope, Shino. I'm sure that, one day, you'll find a friend. Just keep being strong and—"

"'The Lightning Flash.'"

Before the psychologist could continue, Shino had muttered the name to herself, quietly, in an eerie tone.

"She's...this girl...that so many kids at my school have been talking about. Apparently, she's a survivor of that death game...SAO...she was...one of the ones responsible for clearing it. All of the kids...the news articles...everyone goes on and on about how brave and strong she is, despite all of the horrible things she's had to go through in SAO. Hahaha, some of the kids in my school even wonder why I can't be more like her...why I can't move past my trauma and become strong...strong like 'The Lightning Flash'...as if being treated like a monster wasn't bad enough, now I'm being constantly compared to that stupid fucking girl, who's supposedly so much stronger than me. I hate her. I don't even know her and I hate her for making my life even more fucking unbearable. It's not just her; I hate those kids, that compare me to her and make me feel like a weirdo...I hate the teachers too for treating me differently than the other students, out of fucking pity. I hate that man with the beanie, who robbed the post office...I hate so many fucking people and I wish I could just k—"

"Shino," interrupted her psychologist, before she could finish.

Shino's eyes widened, slightly, almost like she was woken up from a temporary trance.

"W-Who was talking just, now?" asked the psychologist as, for the first time during their session, Shino looked at him while he was talking. "The cussing...the anger...the change in the tone of your voice...was it her? The other you that has surfaced since what happened at the post office? I want you to be honest with me, Shino, because it's very important. Has she been showing up more often, lately...your other self?"

"M-My...my other self," Shino repeated to herself. "I-I'm not sure. I'm sorry."

It wasn't a reassuring response by any means which caused the psychologist to swallow in fear. He knew that his patient was currently suffering from Split-Personality Disorder which was caused by the horrible incident that had occurred at the post office. The psychologist figured that it was Shino's way of dealing with the trauma. Shino Asada, herself, was still a kind-hearted, polite and harmless girl, that was just a bit introverted. Although, her other self, was the complete opposite, in every way. Her other self was full of anger...malice...and resentment for others and would, sometimes, even say violent things about the people that she hated. The psychologist wasn't sure how often this other self would show up because Shino couldn't remember any of the times where this other self had taken over. It was almost as if every time it occurred, she had no recollection of it which made things...difficult, to the say the least.