Demise Game

[SHIKI END] protection

By the time club was over, you were exhausted.  Don't get it wrong — you truly were happy everything ended the way it did.  It was the best case scenario.  You never thought this would be the outcome, and you were more than just grateful for it.  In stories, sometimes the endings weren't so optimistic and happy...  But this wasn't just some story.  It was your life.

        By some combination of skill, determination, and pure luck...  You all had made it out.

        Bidding everybody 'goodbye', you had opted to walk back to your house by yourself.  Jinsei was already trying to plan an outing for you all (sans Isora, who had yet to make an appearance), and you asked him to just text you.  Your social battery was depleted — you were ready to go home and nap.  You wanted to get some sleep in, considering your mom had invited the entire group over for dinner.  You had no clue how you didn't get your mother's exuberant personality, especially since she always worked graveyards and double shifts at the hospital.

        Somebody called your name, and you couldn't help but deflate in defeat.  Still, you weren't rude enough to just ignore him, and so you turned around and smiled wearily at Enoru.  He gave you an apologetic smile, understanding your plight.  You and Enoru tended to be the most similar with your more reclusive and insomniac habits.

        Trailing after Enoru was Tatsuya and Shiki in his cat form.  Shiki's tail was flicking in irritation, and you gave the odd trio a quizzical look.

        "What is it?" you asked, crossing your arms.  You had a feeling you weren't going to like whatever it was you were about to hear.

        Tatsuya's words proved as much, frowning.  "About what happened with Kokkuri-san...  Ah.  Shuuen."  He grimaced at saying the deceased demon's name.  "He's gone for good.  Shiki confirmed as much.  However..."

        Shiki sighed as Tatsuya trailed off.  "Now that my dear ole' brother is gone, there's been an uptick in supernatural happenin's around the city."

        Your eyebrows furrowed, but you didn't say anything yet, waiting for one of them to continue.

        Seeing that you weren't responding, Enoru sighed, pulling a bitter frown.  "Look...  I know you've probably had enough supernatural happenings in one lifetime.  I know I have," he muttered the last part in annoyance.  "But truthfully, nobody else is better equipped at handling this stuff than us."

        You pulled a face.  "Are you suggesting we... what?  Form some supernatural task force and start vanquishing demons or whatever?"

        Enoru didn't seem enthused either, but he still nodded with a grimace.  "Unfortunately... yes."

        You looked over at Tatsuya, who looked just as unenthused.  "And you're okay with this after being dead for ten years?"

        "It's not ideal, but I was the one who suggested it.  Being gone for so long...  put a new perspective on things for sure."

        It was an insane idea.  Absolutely batshit crazy.  And unsurprisingly, you were not completely on board with it.  "I'm surprised you want to do something proactive," you told Enoru, the words giving you deja vu.  You remembered Isora saying the same thing to you in what felt like eons ago.  Ick.

        "You and me both," he muttered.  "But who else is going to do it?"

        You did give it some thought.  Enoru was right; while you never wanted to deal with the supernatural ever again, the three of you had valuable experience.  You had already killed one powerful demon, and if others were in danger and dying because of some ripple effect that happened with Shuuen's death, then was it technically your responsibility?  Did you want to take responsibility?