Chapter 8: A heart to heart
Lucy took a deep breath as she walked towards the park where she and Kurumu had agreed to meet. She felt a mixture of nervousness and excitement, unsure of what the succubus would say in response to her questions.
When she arrived, Kurumu was already there, sitting on a bench and looking up at the sky. She looked stunning as always, with her long blue hair cascading down her back and her bright green eyes sparkling in the sunlight.
Lucy felt her heart skip a beat as she approached, trying to remain calm and composed.
"Hey, Kurumu," she said, taking a seat beside her.
"Hey, Lucy," Kurumu replied, turning to face her with a smile.
They sat in silence for a moment, neither one of them speaking, until finally Lucy gathered the courage to break the tension.
"Kurumu, I… I wanted to ask you something," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Kurumu looked at her, curious. "What is it?"
Lucy took a deep breath. "I… I don't know which version of myself you prefer," she admitted. "My bubbly, innocent self or… the other side of me."
Kurumu raised an eyebrow. "What other side?"
Lucy hesitated, but then decided to tell her everything. She described the situation with her inner self and how it had been causing her problems lately.
Kurumu listened intently, a look of concern on her face. "Wow," she said finally. "I had no idea. I'm sorry you're going through that, Lucy."
Lucy nodded gratefully, feeling a weight lifted off her shoulders. "Thanks, Kurumu. But… what about you? Which version of me do you like better?"
Kurumu smiled softly. "Honestly, Lucy, I like both versions of you. You're a complex person with a lot of different sides, and I think that's what makes you interesting."
Lucy felt a warm flush spread across her cheeks at Kurumu's words. "Thanks," she said, feeling a sense of relief and contentment.
But then she remembered something else, something that had been bothering her for a while.
"Kurumu, how come you can take off my rosary so easily but… I can't?" she asked, her voice hesitant.
Kurumu looked surprised by the question. "What do you mean?"
"I mean… you're a succubus, right? How come you can control your powers so easily but… I can't even take off my rosary without struggling?"
Kurumu looked at her thoughtfully for a moment, then spoke. "Lucy, I don't think it has anything to do with what kind of monster you are. It's about your own personal strength and willpower."
"What do you mean?" Lucy asked, confused.
Kurumu leaned closer to her, her eyes intense. "Lucy, I think the reason you're struggling to take off your rosary is because you don't believe in yourself enough. You're too afraid of what might happen if you let your inner self out, so you're holding yourself back."
Lucy felt a jolt of shock and recognition as Kurumu spoke. She realized that Kurumu was right - she had been too afraid to let herself fully embrace her powers, too scared of what she might become.
But now, thanks to Kurumu's words, she realized that it was time to let go of that fear and truly become the person she was meant to be.
"Thanks, Kurumu," she said, feeling a sense of gratitude and newfound strength. "You're right. It's time for me to stop holding myself back and show the world what I'm really capable of."
Kurumu beamed at her, her face full of pride. "That's the spirit, Lucy. I know you can do it."
And with those words ringing in her ears, Lucy stood up and made her way back to school, feeling more confident and empowered than she ever had before.