A/N: No idea what I wrote this for. That’s twice this has happened now. ☹ Anyways, based off the Grim Reaper arc, which I still need to finish… (and at this point, review, it’s been a while). Funniest thing is this doc is titled ‘Halloween’, so I feel like it was written for a Halloween exchange? Event? Even though nothing in this feels very Halloween-y.
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Aoi was at the zoo. With its large, red gates and funny-looking elephant mascot painted on the doors, she couldn’t be anywhere else. She had gone there once as a child, as a part of a school field trip that had been too hot, too nosy, and too long. The place in front of her looked unchanged from that time, even though she knew that they’d long since remodeled the entrance, replacing its gates with golden bars.
Even stranger still, there was only one other person here with her instead of the throngs she expected. Aoi peeked to her right, to where a girl her age stood gawking at the gates. Despite where they were, she wore a purple kimono, as though she was going to a festival instead of the zoo.
“This is weird,” Aoi mumbled. Her words felt heavy. Breathing felt hard. The world around them felt foggy, like the only thing she could focus on was the zoo. Like the only thing that existed was the zoo.
“Is it?” the stranger asked, turning to look at her.
It was like looking in a mirror. They had the same bluish-purple hair, the same big eyes, the same small lips and soft cheeks. And yet, for all of that, Aoi didn’t feel scared or surprised. For some reason, she had expected this. “You look like me.”
“Ah.” The girl brushed back a stray hair gracefully and smiled. “I’m told we’re related.”
“Oh. My ancestor, right?” Memories flooded her mind as they spoke and Aoi looked at the gates again. Now that she was paying attention, the edges looked blurry like a blurry photograph. “This isn’t real, is it?”
“No.” The girl—Sumire, Aoi remembered. Her name was Sumire. She had been a sacrifice once and Aoi was one now. Sumire shook her head sadly. “This place was taken from your memories. What is it?”
“The local zoo.” Aoi stared at her hand. She could still feel Akane’s warm skin, his firm grip, his desperate tug. The path home had been dark, the light nonexistent, and now she was here alone. “I’m dead.”
Sumire rubbed her wrist, uncomfortable. “Yes…that...”
“Ironic.” She curled her fingers, trying to keep the sensation longer, but with every second, she could feel Akane’s presence slipping away. Aoi chuckled bitterly—that was why she’d come here, wasn’t it? To die, to disappear.
And just like that, she’d gotten her wish when she no longer wanted it.
Aoi covered her mouth, blinking back her tears. There was so much more she had wanted to say, to do. She hadn’t apologized to Nene. She hadn’t confessed to Akane. She didn’t get to say goodbye to her mom. The words stayed trapped in her chest, heavy and suffocating, and now they’d stay there forever.
“Are you okay?” Sumire stepped closer and gingerly patted her on the back.
“No.” Aoi clutched her chest.
“I’m sorry.” Sumire wrapped an arm around her back, squeezing lightly. “I…we’ll soon be gone. Once we reach the other shore, it won’t hurt as much.”
As soon as she said that, water lapped at their feet. The cold stung and Aoi stepped back in surprise. “What is this?”
“I don’t know.” Sumire pulled away. “But we have a little time before it takes us away. This is a transitional place. It might help you ease any regrets.”
It couldn’t. Aoi looked at the zoo once more. Sensing her desires, the gates opened slightly, revealing a bricked path. In the distance, she could just make out the first pen and impossibly tall giraffe waiting for her.
She turned to her right. The scenery shifted, as though reading her mind, and a mall stood in front of her. Pop music blasted out the windows, mannequins stood at attention in the latest fashions, and she could just smell freshly baked tarts and cakes.
When Aoi swivelled to her left, an arcade appeared. A crane machine glowed invitingly, adorable stuffed toys inside.
She could almost hear Nene’s laugh, see Akane’s smile.
We’ll go together next time.
And here she was, alone. Closing her eyes, Aoi breathed in. Breathed out. When she opened her eyes again, everything had disappeared, leaving instead a single photo booth.
“What’s that?” Sumire cocked her head curiously.
“A photo booth.” Aoi smiled lopsidedly as they entered the booth, as they posed and selected stickers. A picture was proof that something was real, that something existed and was here. What did that mean now that she was dead? What did that mean in the afterlife?
Nothing, really. She stared at the prints in her hand, at the impossible photo of her and her ancestor smiling in the camera. If Nene was around, she’d be terrified by the ghosts. If Akane could see them, he’d call it a national treasure.
The water reached her knees now. Aoi turned to Sumire. “Is it time to go?”
“Almost.” Sumire looked at the photobooth. “Are you sure that’s all you wanted to do?”
The zoo reappeared, the gates open even wider now. But even if she stepped inside, Akane wouldn’t be there.
And there was no point in going by herself.
“Yeah.” Aoi dropped the photos, watching them drift away with the tide. “Let’s go.”
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Anya is live and ready to show you everything. Watch her strip, dance, and perform exclusive shows just for you. Interact in real-time and make your fantasies come true.
✓ Live Streaming✓ Interactive Chat✓ Private Shows✓ HD Quality✓ Free Actions
Free to watch • No registration required • HD streaming
