TOKOYAMI

Tokoyami ran an oiled rag over the length of a replica sword when the lights went out, throwing the room into an eerie, candlelit gloom.

"Fumikage…" a voice rasped from everywhere and nowhere at once.

Tokoyami brandished the blade. "Stay back, foul demon! I will not succumb to your darkness!"

A giant black claw reached around the side of the bed. Dark Shadow pulled itself up, towering over Tokoyami as it stared down at him with glowing golden eyes.

"Sweet little Fumikage," Dark Shadow crooned. "It's time to hold up your end of the bargain."

"No." Tokoyami, wide-eyed, pressed himself against the end of his bed, holding the sword out like a holy cross. "I won't! I will resist your foul temptation!"

Dark Shadow cackled. A chorus of laughs rang from every flickering shadow. "You agreed to it. I let you use my power to play hero, and in return…" Dark Shadow leaned closer, its beak nearly touching Tokoyami's blade. "You do what I want for a change."

"It's madness!" Tokoyami roared at the shadowy being before him. He swung the sword, which passed harmlessly through Dark Shadow. "I won't! You can't make me!"

Dark Shadow stopped the blade with a talon. With a single squeeze, the sword broke into a dozen metal shards. Tokoyami held the metal stump before him in a trembling grip.

"Why must you deny who you are?" Dark Shadow gently dragged a talon across Tokoyami's face. "You'll feel so much better once you stop resisting."

"Stay back!" Tokoyami pressed the jagged metal edge against his throat. "Come any closer, and I'll end both of us! I swear it!"

All at once, the darkness subsided. Dark Shadow shrank down and backed away. "Dude, seriously?"

"I will defy the madness of my abyss with my dying breath!"

Dark Shadow reached under the bed and pulled out a frilly pink shirt. "You would literally rather die than wear this?"

Tokoyami hissed at the offending garment and waved the sword at it. "Begone, foul specter! You will not tempt me!"

"Come on! I'm so sick and tired of you drowning yourself in black all the time. It's like you're trying to hide from the world! Now pink, that would make your feathers pop! Throw a bit of pale yellow in there… some nice cream colors to tie it all together…"

"I don't want it! Stop trying to make me!"

"You do realize I am a manifestation of your subconscious, right? I know exactly what you want."

"Lies! Slander! I will not be deceived!"

Dark Shadow sighed. "You know what? Fine. I'm done trying to do this the nice way."

Before Tokoyami could react, Dark Shadow snatched the broken blade out of his grasp. Then he held the shirt aloft.

"Time for a makeover!"

Tokoyami burst out of his room, screaming for dear life, as Dark Shadow chased him with the pink shirt. As the students of 1-A watched the chase unfold, Mina asked, "Is that my shirt?"

498

You can't run from your inner demons. Especially if those inner demons are a sentient shadow that likes pretty colors.