You know what chapter this is
The last chapter.
"I swear to Fortuna, sis. Kuroha acts just like a rebellious teenager. I'm just waiting for him to get into his Justin Bieber phase." Andrew said, hair still damp from his shower, as he sat on your bed. You couldn't help but laugh. It was honestly true. Kuroha had turned into a teenager like figure after all this time. It was slightly concerning since his usual self, but you'd come to accept the facts that this was who he was now. But it was a little unsettling. You were honestly expecting more than a broken foot and a few several press recordings of his appearances. And him in general. But, hey, it's been about a year, and you were content with him being here. Granted, after the party incident, the closet event had left a tension between the both of you. Not even Andrew's sheer stupidity could cover it. You wanted to fix it somehow, but it would just make things worse. You were sure of that.
"I'm expecting an Ariana Grande phase from him." You went along with it. You were glad the snake bastard wasn't even here right now or else he'd throw Andrew out the window. He had done it once already. Andrew had told him that he looked like an emo Severus Snape and Kuroha tossed him into the neighbors swimming pool all while reading Pride and Prejudice. Then he threw the book out afterwards because he deemed it too stupid for a superior mind.
"No, no. Taylor Swift." Andrew said, waving his hands dramatically.
"YES!" You agreed and fist bumped your brother in your decision.
"I can see it now. The Mekakushi Gang discovers the Heat Haze lab thing and goes into it, and inside is a Taylor Swift merchandise horde. In the middle is Kuroha with a gun with all of Taylor Swifts ex's all dead behind him. "Should have said no." He whispers as he resets time once more. Man, maybe that actually happened." He paused. "Where is he, anyways? It feels kind of funny not getting yelled at or thrown majestically out of a window."
"I'm not sure. I'm actually getting worried." You admitted, glancing out of your window for the nth time this afternoon. It was going to be nightfall, and you made him promise to always be home before dark after the breaking and entering incident.
"Hey. maybe he's getting you something special. Like a... Pudding?" You looked at your brother with a confused face.
"Pudding? Why would he get me pudding? You tried to give him pudding once and he threw it at you and then threw you out the window."
"Yeah, good times, but I'm not talking about that pudding. Caulfield's pet cat, Pudding, is outside the window." True to his word, outside the window sat a brown tabby licking itself, like Andrew would say, majestically. You opened the window and reached out to stroke the cat. It reacted kindly to your touch and began purring. "That's strange. I didn't think that he would let the only thing he slightly cares about outside his man cave. But what the hell is it doing here, nonetheless?!"
"I didn't even know he had a cat!" You were actually amazed that your beloved teacher was a cat person. But considering that it's Caulfield, it's not surprising.
"I'm trying to remember this story he told the class, and wasted a good portion of it might I add, on Pudding. He joked about Pudding being the God of death and always shows up to suck the souls out of the living. He then went on to describe several more stories about his useless cat and I fell asleep." Pudding then whipped it's head around with it's huge ears perking up and trotted away from you. You felt sad that the cat had snubbed you, but it felt great to pet a random cat. You almost felt like a magical girl probably did on the first episode.
"You know, a lot of things happen out of the window. Sailor Moon became a magical girl, Bertold saw a Titan, and I learned to fly on several occasions. Yep, sis, the window is certainly a mysterious and wonderful thing. And I fucking hate it." You then spent the rest of your time with your brother binge watching Netflix shows at random while you waited for Kuroha. You left the window open in case Pudding or Kuroha returned. You wondered if he had gotten into any trouble. The amount of worry your were feeling right now was uncanny. Andrew seemed to sense your worry as he ate a Twinkie slowly, in an overly dramatic fashion to annoy you. "Hey, sis. It's going to be okay. Kuroha is Kuroha. And Kurohas know best. Or worse depending on the situation- but he's in our world now so he's totally fine."
"Do you think he went back on his word and got into trouble somehow?" You asked just in time for a dramatic speech scene on TV.
"He probably picked up a job at KFC. Hah, KFCuroha! Yes! I'm totally going to use that!" Andrew slapped his knee. "Man, I'm fucking hilarious."
"You're certainly a Dane Cook. But I'm being serious, here. If he doesn't come home within 15 minutes I'm going to go find him. You need to come with me, too."
"Me?! Why me?" He whined. "I just got to the last episode of Sherlock. Plus, he's a grown ass man. I'm sure Fuckboy is doing fine. Quit worrying about him."
"You're a grown ass man yet you slouch around at home with your tuba, a piano you'll never be able to play, and drums that you also barely know how to play and watch anime and talk to a girl who's almost twice as younger than you. I really do worry for you." There was a thick silence within your room.
"Okay that just hurts." He threw his Twinkie into the trash."Fine, we'll find Fuckboy. But he's marathoning Game of Thrones with me. And then some." The phone from downstairs rang a couple of times, you could make it out through the obnoxious monologue of Sherlock. Your father's footsteps stomped up the steps and then opened the door, phone in hand. "Oh, hey, Dad!"
"Sweetie, you got a call from a friend from school. They say it's urgent. Andrew, turn that down!" Andrew sulkingly turned down the volume to an all time low and you waited for your Dad to leave before answering the phone. "Um... hello?"
"We don't have much time, Master. Meet me by the tree." You gasped and recognized the caller as Kuroha. The way the phone made his voice rough still didn't mask the tone of worry in his voice. "The tree."
"Kuroha, what happened!" You demanded. You could hear something in the background, but you couldn't recognize the sound.
"Just get your bastard brother to drive you down here right now! Please!" He had never said please to you. Ever. Something was definitely wrong.
"Whoa, Kuroha's calling?! What's he saying?!" Andrew was equally shocked.
"Kuroha. What. Happened." You demanded once more. There was rough breathing.
"I killed someone." And then the phone hung up.
"Can't this thing go any faster?!" You screamed at Andrew as his old truck flew down the highway, almost passing the speed limit. The radio was playing a Taylor Swift song, idly reminding you of the minutes before that call. Andrew was sweating himself from anxiety as he drove in the dark.
"Oh, excuse you. It's not like this truck is around 30 something years old and needs a new motor, and it's also not like we're trying to find a killer, which MIGHT be a prank mind you, so the cops are probably prowling the streets for his ass!" The truck took a swift turn into the park. "Jeez, pay attention to Sherlock next time!" You didn't bother to listen to his snide comment and jumped out of the car before Andrew even parked it. You stumbled onto the ground, but your shaky legs still allowed you to dash to the tree you first met Kuroha at. Andrew also tagged along, but once you both got there, there was no Kuroha to be found. "See? A prank. That fucker."
"Shut your worthless piehole." Kuroha's voice shakily said as he stepped out from behind the tree. Once you gazed upon the gore covered body that was Kuroha, you promptly turned around and vomited into the nearest bush. He was sickening to look at. Even he seemed to acknowledge that. Andrew screamed. "Ahah, aren't I a sight? Well, I was always a monster. Not even a second chance could help fix me."
"Kuroha... why?" Cliche, but that was all your mind wanted to process. The snake monster then sighed.
"I suppose yet again I shall explain. This event happened because of a bunch of other events I didn't disclose to you about. I've had the police on me for a year. Ever since I broke into their building for a map. Then I was fired at my job because I broke out a fight with an officer. Then the house break ins were me trying to hide from oncoming officers. It turns out that these guys knew who I was after witnessing me the first time, and it apparently took a lot of believing for them to actually acknowledge that I was real. The breaking point was where I was jumping buildings with my Master. I didn't want her to get hurt because of this, so Fluffy was set up in the school to watch her and make sure that none of these people tried to use her to get me. They tried to kill me for a just cause; because I'm a monster. And today was our final confrontation. I had the gun... and... I couldn't control myself. I snapped. Now they're dead and they know where I am."
"You led my sister into a trap, you ass!" Andrew yelled, furious. "Why didn't you tell us?!"
Kuroha didn't speak. Then after a bit, he breathed heavily. "I didn't want this to end up like it did."
"You expect me to just go along with that fucking info dump? That was too much for any one to take in! You could have just told us, you little... UGH!" Andrew stomped the dirt.
"I thought that it was obvious. My suspicious behavior, the black snake with the red eyes that oh so randomly popped up in the classroom, seriously. Andrew, you're still the most ignorant mole I've ever dealt with." Kuroha huffed. "An apology won't cut through, it seems."
"We can run away. We can escape this town together, the three of us, and start anew!" You said once your nerves calmed down. "We can start all over."
He smiled weakly. "I always admired your optimism, but I'm afraid a time loop won't fix us this time. In fact." Kuroha wiped off his hand and took yours and began pulling you over the hill. Once you saw a giant, gaping red hole into the sky over a small pond, your mouth dropped open. Andrew was shocked as well. "I think it's time for me to depart."
"Is that..." Andrew breathed.
"The Heat Haze, yes. I couldn't believe it myself, but when I ran to this spot I saw the one and only hell hole opened up. You know why? It's August the 15th. Exactly one year since I've met Master. The one day the Heat Haze opens. It's supposed to be closed forever, but it's here. And I think it has a connection with the massacre I just committed." Kuroha let go of your hand slowly. "Master, If I escape into this, all memories of me will be erased of me. Even yours, Andrew. All the events I've caused will be erased, like I was never here."
"Whoa, what?!" Andrew spoke up. "So you're telling me that you're just leaving?!"
"Kuroha, please don't!" You cried. The man gripped his fists. Tightly.
"I... have to go... I can't be here! Can't you see that?!" There were tears streaming down his enraged face as he yelled this at the two of you. "I was never supposed to be in this universe in the first place! No matter where I go, I cause misery! I cause death! I cause trouble! I was created just to ruin, and if that's what I bring, then I can't live." He turned back to face the Haze. "...I'm sorry."
You were crying heavily at this point. "Kuroha... before you leave... I have to tell you.. that even if the world hated you all this time... I-I-" You were cracking up. Your fragile shell was falling down. "Kuroha, I have been in love with you for a very long time!" You were unable to see his face.
"... How long.."
"Six months. Ever since that party, no. Before that, you have been the most amazing person I've ever met. I don't care if the world calls you a demon, or a snake, you have the heart of a genuine person. And I've loved that person for that long. S-So if you leave, just never forget that someone cares about you." You fell onto the ground crying. Kuorha held up his arm and rubbed his face.
"Master..." That's all he said. Stepping towards the haze, he held out his hand to the lightening surface. "Master, because of our contract that still isn't completed, you'll retain your memories of this for all eternity. Please cherish them. Andrew, I hate you a lot. But watch your sister in my place."
"You don't have to order me to do that." Andrew said, giving him a thumbs up. Kuroha then turned around with a small smile on his face.
"You know, I'll come back one day. I swear on it. But it's going to take a while. I'm not longer "The Snake of the Clearing Eyes," after all. I'm Kuroha. So the Haze and I have to duke it out..." He turned around once more, and never turned around again. "I have saying goodbye, so... let's meet again."
"Not yet, Kuroha! Please! Please! You can't do this! After all the time we've shared together!" You dashed up to him and embraced him into a hug, slathering some of the gore onto you. The smell made you sick, but you kept hugging the man. A choked cry escaped Kuroha as he turned around and embraced you into a hug, tightly. Andrew just stood there and watched with a sad smile.
"Master... no, _. Don't beg. I have to leave. Now. I-I want to stay, but it's not right for me to. I can't keep repeating myself until the police come. I have to escape now. N-Now..." He tipped your chin upwards and placed a small kiss onto your lips. A small, but long lasting kiss blended in with the salty mixture of tears. He parted and stood back up, slowly backing away from your figure, but never taking his eyes off of you. "Consider that a parting gift."
"Kuroha. promise me you'll return. Promise!" You yelled. "It's in our contract! Please!"
"On behalf of my Master, I, Kuroha, as your eternal friend and ever loyal partner, do promise to return. And I swear by it." The sirens in the distance slowly grew louder, and Kuroha closed his eyes. "Can't stall any longer, now, can I? Master, Andrew fucker, I wish you both good tidings. For I believe you've shown me that love truly... isn't such a curse after all." Andrew held your hand tightly. And as Kuroha stepped into that portal, your vision started to fade and you blackened out.
After you woke up upon your bed the next morning, you realized that you really were the only one who retained memories of Kuroha's existence. Your mother and father had no idea about the mystery news reports about the building jumps, nor did Andrew recollect anything about fighting with Fuckboy within the mall. Not even Mr. Caulfield or your class remembered Fluffy. It was all back to the way it was, and the only thing that changed was you. You tried to consider the entire thing a dream, but you couldn't let it pass. Was it real? Was it a dream disguised as a nightmare? You didn't know. But you carried on with your life with one sluggish, recovering step at a time. You still loved him, and you waited the day for him to come back. But it seems like it'll never happen.
"Kuroha? Yeah. If I saw him, I'd totally go into a cardiac arrest." Andrew said when you asked him about the matter. No one remembered the Shakspearian scream he said when he kicked down the door to your classroom. When he left, it caused an empty void in your life. Cliche, yes, but it was the truth. There was no more misadventures. No more gravity defying, majestic leaps. No more anything to do with the snake. Life just... faded back into normality. If he was here, you suppose he would say that time just fixed itself. But these damn, uncontrollable feelings that you still withheld hurt.
But yet, as they say, time stops for no one, and life continued onward without Kuroha. You ate with your family with no leftovers to take to him, you walked to school alone, and you began to finally get a social life without the snake stopping you. And now that you thought back on it, the hints he left behind of the supposed police chase was invalid. It never happened. He lied. He had just murdered them because he snapped. He whispered that to you before he left. The snake inside of him couldn't really take it, you supposed. Were they innocent? Was the police info dump he spouted true? What happened on that night? You wanted to know! You really did! But that event was lost in time. You wanted to know why he killed someone, and how it happened. Were they in an argument? Were they trying to mug him? Or was it an excuse to get away from you and into the Heat Haze? It wasn't right, and if he hadn't had done that, he would still have been here. Here with you.
Finally, at night after what seemed like a couple of years, you couldn't recall how much time had passed since Kuroha and you last met, you sat on your bed and recalled waking up here to have him yank you out of your bed. You curled up upon the mattress and smiled to yourself. Perhaps some star viewing would help. Opening your windows, you gazed out into the clear night sky and admired the twinkling of the stars over you. Ironic. The old Disney tune about wishing on a star and having your dreams come true tortured you at this point. It was a harmless kids fable, so why not make a wish? You closed your eyes and deeply wished for the return of your friend... no, of the person you longed for. You then shut your window and lied back onto your bed to fall asleep. You gained a sense of peace from that.
A rattling on your window disturbed you, however. Was it Pudding? That cat had been dropping by a lot recently. Begging for pets, you supposed. You rose up and gazed out your window. But instead of the cat, you found something that made your grin spread wider upon your face. A grin that you've been waiting to show for years.
"Welcome back."
And that was Inner Science. I have to say, I REALLY loved writing this, you guys. This honestly made me happy to write to make others happy. Well, I hate to say goodbye, so lets meet again. I'm writing another Kagerou story called "Ayano's Philosophy to Living" where Ayano escaped the Heat Haze and lives in the Vocaloid world, and I hope that you'll all read that! But, anyways, thank you for following this garbage and I hope you all enjoyed this.
P.S. I realize that the ending seemed a bit rushed. I couldn't think of any thing else to write so that's why it seemed rushed. My apologies. But I added a bit!
Also what really happened with Kuroha - I'm leaving it in the dark. It's going to be one of those questions that's never going to be answered. And I still know that this chapter is full of faults, but this is my first long fanfiction, and I'm rather proud of it I guess. Maybe.