Black★Zero

Chapter 4: As the Road Starts to Collapse, Call My Name

Fleeing the desert area on Magician's broomstick, Zero Two asked, "Hey Rei, did you do something to come back?" Busy examining her skeletal claws far more calmly than the first time, she replied, "I don't think so. I saw you get hurt and it hurt me as well, and then I was suddenly back." Remembering what Saya said before, she added, "Is this what it means to connect? I wonder if I did it unconsciously last time too." Correcting her, Zero Two hesitantly admitted, "No... I kinda possessed you back then. It wasn't in the normal way, but I wanted to send your body to find your sister and if I'd done it normally that wouldn't have been possible. When you woke up and freaked out I didn't know what to do though, so I guess the chatterbox was actually helpful at first."

Magician irritably retorted, "Speak for yourself fool!" Then more seriously, she pointed out, "You're as unusual as me and Rei. Aside from your body you're more human than a being of this world should be, you even seem rather lacking in weaponry, and now you say you're capable of such a backwards method of possession?" With a slightly smug tone, Zero Two insisted, "I'm no pushover when I get serious, and I could ask the same when it comes to being human! You're making too big a deal out of what I did though, I just got lucky." Having realized now just how fortunate she had been herself, Rei held a hand over her chest as she said, "Ninja Zero Two, thank you."

Able to tell she'd figured out her injuries were from stubbornly trying to wake up Mato, Zero Two self-consciously replied, "You can feel for yourself, I'm fine... I'm the one who's grateful for you Rei, it's been seven years now since you gave me my name." Rei suddenly gripped too tightly with her claws, flinching slightly as Zero Two just uttered, "Ow, careful!" Her voice dripping with an almost tangible gloom, Rei asked, "Seven years? That's..." Fearfully realizing what she'd said, she quickly denied, "No! What I said had nothing to do with your mother!" As she didn't get a response, Zero Two took control of her arms and hesitantly hugged Rei along with her own body, desperately apologizing, "I'm sorry... I didn't mean to remind you."

Staring back at them curiously as they both went silent, after eavesdropping on them Magician was thinking. "Rei named her she says? I wonder, can you even say she's trying to hide something at that point?" She recalled their strange method of possession, one now shown to work both ways, narrowing her eyes as she accepted the obvious explanation. "So it's that after all, and they simply weren't conscious of their real ability. You don't just get lucky with a trick like that, although I suppose talent could also be considered a form of luck." Facing forward as she smiled wryly now, she concluded, "I don't understand these new mysteries I just overheard quite yet, but that only means I still may have found it at last. A star that will shed light on the shadows beneath this broken sky..."

Magician landed as they arrived at what looked like a wide metal bridge crossing a seemingly endless body of water under a night sky with a broken moon. The bridge had a great deal of rust, and there were pieces of black and white checkered stone scattered about with several large chunks almost like pillars sticking up out of the water. Getting off the broomstick, Rei asked, "What is this place?" Shrugging her shoulders, Magician replied, "Just a random location, we won't be here long." Making a fitting gesture to her neck, she added, "We need to send you back, from your conversation earlier I get the feeling the Empress will come for our heads again if we don't." Finding this likely as well, she still had to ask, "How are you going to take me back without a portal?"

Still not sure exactly how it happened, Zero Two still had an idea she explained, "If you came here yourself, it's probably just your mind I think. Humans don't tend to possess, but there's abilities like ESP right?" Dismounting her broom now, Magician said in certainty, "No. With one of you in that much pain, something linking only your minds would be impossible, especially for you two. You'd both reject instinctively out of concern for the other." Holding out her hand, she casually added, "However, I shall open a portal for her." Unable to believe her ears, Zero Two exclaimed, "You'll what?!" The surrounding area was engulfed in a green light as Magician smirked smugly. "I recall you called me a useless chatterbox? Are you prepared to learn just whom you are dealing with?"