Shattered Skies: The Morning Lights

CHAPTER 14: Gather Together

Chapter 14: Gather Together

-VERTEX ONE: 15.556984-

Hikawa Shrine, Sendai Hill

Since Usagi transformed and left for the shopping district, there had been a magnificently awkward silence between the two Reis. Neither knew what to say to the other, though Rei 2 seemed far more comfortable with extended silence than Rei 1 did.

Even worse, they were now fresh out of tea...

Rei 1 fidgeted in place. Dammit, this was embarrassing. Why was talking to someone who was essentially herself so difficult? Perhaps because her duplicate was somehow her total opposite... however that worked. "Um," she said, the question popping into her head before she could stop herself. "So... did you and Yuuichiro ever think about-"

Rei 2's stare was as frosty as it was uncomprehending. "Who is Yuuichiro?"

"You're kidding. Yuuichiro Kumada!" said Rei 1, goggling in disbelief. "You know, tall guy, scruffy hair, stubble, Grandpa's apprentice? We dated him once or twice?"

The stare turned from frosty to frigid in a hurry. "I don't know any such person. Grandfather never took an apprentice, and I wouldn't date him even if he did. I have no interest in men."

That was enough to make Rei 1 doubt that Rei 2 was her duplicate at all, frankly. "You're kidding," she repeated. The room spun around her in dizzying circles. "You've never dated? Or thought about dating? Ever?"

"No."

"Not the Star Lights? I mean, before you knew they were-"

"Absolutely not."

"What about Mamoru-san?"

An angry, offended sniff. "Please. Mamoru-san is Usagi's destined lover. I would never attempt to come between them."

"I don't believe it." Rei 1 slumped backward, staring at the surface of the table in shock. "Never. Not once. And I thought I had it bad... Haven't you ever wanted to be close? To anyone?"

It took a moment for Rei 1's brain to register what she was seeing: Rei 2 was actually blushing. It was the first indication that her duplicate had moods other than solemn, tranquil, annoyed, or any combination of the three. "I-" she said, averting her eyes. "There's only one person I've ever been close to in that way. But it's improper to talk about it."

"Oh, come on!" Her interest piqued, Rei 1 leaned forward across the table. "We're both Rei Hino, right? You can tell me, who is it? I promise I won't laugh..."

The blush grew darker, and Rei 2 mumbled words too soft to make out.

"Sorry, come again? I couldn't hear you."

Mumble, mumble.

"Still didn't catch that. If you don't want to tell me, it's-"

"Minako," said Rei 2 with a bit too much volume, clutching her hands tight in her lap, her back rigid. "If you must know, it's Minako. There, I said it."

There are a few times in everyone's life when one's brain undergoes a total, catastrophic shutdown. For Rei 1, this was one of those times.

Juuban Shopping District

Half the mob was still shaking, immobilized with terror at the sight of her. It made sense; she had killed the vast majority of these monsters, of course they would be afraid. Good... the longer the monsters were too frightened to move, the safer Naru and Umino would be.