Several days later . . .
"I like it," Korosensei said as he watched the sign go up. Just because they couldn't be too fast, didn't mean they couldn't start restoring that village in a decent amount of time. They even had extra scraps ready for the houses.
It wasn't fully functionable as a real town. Most houses didn't have running water or electricity, but that was just a convenience anyhow. The patterned ones helped with rebuilding the most, while the ones like him that couldn't change, tended to stay in the surrounding forest, in a house that hadn't fell yet, or risked using shells.
Everything seemed to be working well, except for one thing. A really small thing. In the whole scheme of things, it should be real trivial. But.
Emiko wasn't happy. "It was my birthday yesterday, God of Death."
"Isn't the sign nice?" He gestured to the new sign being put up. New Sanctuary.
She was just crossing her arms and walked away, mad he hadn't said anything about her statement. "Aguriiiii!"
Aguri had a less than pleased expression that she was heading over. "Not this again? I'm sorry, really, but it's way too dangerous to talk to your Aunt Akari right now. Let things die down and you can talk to her. Your Aunt Lola is somewhere around here?"
"I don't want to see Aunt C. I miss Aunt Akari."
"Why not just enjoy the fresh air you always wanted?" Korosensei pointed out. "You get it all the time now."
"I don't want fresh air like this. I'd rather just live in apartments again."
Boy, kid really liked tantrums. "Hey, Lola?" Maybe she could help.
"Right here, Lord!"
"Could you help out with Emiko?" he asked. "She's missing her Aunt Akari again."
"I don't want Aunt Lola," she complained, but Emiko was picked up by her Aunt Lola and dragged away. She crossed her arms again. "I want to go home!"
"This is home now, Emiko," Lola insisted.
"I think I understand how she feels," Chou Chou interrupted Lola's walk. "Why don't I talk to her for a little bit?" Lola put her down, but didn't leave her alone with Chou Chou. "Hey. I'm Chou Chou."
"Then go shoo already," Emiko said straight to her. She watched as Luna came over and actually had the gall to reprimand her for teasing that Chou Chou girl. Whatever. He didn't even care. None of them cared! She barely even ate fruit, Aguri watched over Etsuko, and Luna couldn't do anything but teach and scold and ignore and-
"Deep breath," Chou Chou told her. "You look like a steaming kettle."
"Shut up!" This time, she was reprimanded by Lola. She didn't care. "I want to go home."
"This is home, you must get used to it," Lola told her once again.
"It's home to all the Sanctuarians, I'm not Sanctuarian, I am just stuck here because I'm being protected against a bad guy. I am Yukimura Emiko and this isn't my home!" She was tired of it. She didn't deserve this. She knew where home had been. "I want to go home!"
"Emiko, now is not the time for kicking up a fuss," Lola reprimanded her again.
"Then when is a good time because I have a lot to fuss about," Emiko said with a slight tease. A real slight tease. "I want to go back to Aunt Akari! I want to go back to my things! I want to go home!" She slammed her foot on the ground. This wasn't fair. She never signed up for all of this. Just one random day these two need saved, she helps with her cuteness, and this is what she got? "I'll put this one in my lesson book. Being nice to people just gets you shoved with weird people for the rest of your life! It's better not to be nice."
"Someone is beyond nap time," her Aunt C said as she picked her up. "Let's find a place to lie you down."
"I don't need a nap," Emiko muttered. "I just need to never be nice again." Her Aunt C had been walking along with her in her arms but she stopped.
"Hand her over."
Luna? What did he want? Lola put her back on the ground. He didn't look happy. He was in his human form, most were supposed to be. That meant he was gonna be even crankier.
"Don't put her on the ground," Luna said to Aunt C. "Hand her over and then leave us."
He wanted to hold her, while he was scowling? That wasn't normal. Aunt C picked her up and gave her over to him and then left the area. Why did Aunt C. leave? Why was he holding her? Still scowling? No right to scowl, I'm the one who is stuck here.
"Go ahead. Explain that," Luna said to her. "Your thoughts, and then let's have a little debate about it."
A debate?
"A little talk. Let's talk it out," he insisted.
Yeah, sure, he didn't look like he wanted to listen to anything she had to say. "Why are you bothering to hold me, Luna? I have better chances of the real Luna coming down to save me than you wanting to hold me." He always had intentions. He never just wanted to hold her. No one did.
"Your Aunt Akari and Aunt Lola's area and time were what you knew. It felt like home," he said, "but you don't feel like home to them, so you have to get over it."
What did he mean by that? He was trying to hurt her again, wasn't he?
"Their duties are over mainly," he said. "Even your Aunt Akari, she considers you a duty."
A duty? "Like washing dishes?"
"You were a responsibility because they thought you were relation. Now, you aren't relation. She doesn't need you anymore interfering in her life."
Ugh! Did he even-? "I'm not just like doing dishes! I'm better than dishes!"
"Eh."
"Aunt Akari loves me, more than you or Aguri by far!" She wiggled, trying to get out of his arms. It was wrong to be octopus right now or she could get away. The action would put everyone in danger, so she was stuck in her stupid human form just wiggling around.
"She's known you seven years, we've known you a few days, that assumption would make sense," he agreed. "We are trying to get to know you, but you are a real pain. Maybe one day when things get better, we can do something for your birthday, but right now, we can't do anything much. We are rationing food, scouting and being smart. No time for silly stuff."
"I'm not a duty." She wasn't just a duty. Her Aunt Akari never thought she was just a duty. Did she? Well, she wasn't always perfect but she liked her. She loved her. She liked spending time with her. She gives me flower moments. It's not like she demanded the same thing. Even though Aunt Lola wasn't all there, she'd rather be with her.
"Yes, you are," he muttered as he put her down on the ground. "Stop staring at me like that."
How was she supposed to look at someone like him? She just started to walk over to Lola and hugged her while Luna left her alone. Again.
That guy. At least Aguri tried sometimes, but that guy? He only smiled and got along if he was teaching her something. Anything else, and he wasn't happy. Like only teaching her made him happy around her.
If anything, she was probably only a duty to him. Why did he even want her there? She headed back over to her Aunt Lola. "Am I just a duty, Aunt Lola?"
"Hm?" Aunt Lola looked at her. "Well, of course you are a duty."
"Am I just a duty to Aunt Akari too?" she asked. "Does no one love me for just the cool person I am?"
"Well?" she muttered. "You are very important and loved by everyone."
"Did Aunt Akari love me, or was I just a duty?" Lola would know the truth.
"Oh, of course your Aunt Akari loved you."
"And you love me too? Because, if that was true, why did you save me after my other dad tried to nab me?" She didn't look good with that descriptor.
"I love you as a duty, and as a person whom I have known for several years."
"What would have happened to me later? Since you didn't think I was a goddess, were you going to let me go?"
"No, of course not, Emiko."
This was the problem. Nothing's perfect. At least, crazy Aunt Lola loved her too. She hugged her tightly. As expected, she hugged her back. "Will you carry me for a little while?"
Her Aunt C picked her up and carried her around, showing her all of the things coming along. She was glad to hold her. She cared for her, like no other. Funny the things it took sometimes to see what was important.
After a small ride, her Aunt Lola put her down but she followed behind her. Aunt Lola didn't care for awhile, but eventually she noticed.
"Emiko, you are straying too far from Lord Reaper and Lady Aguri," she noted.
"You are the voice of God, and you are the one who watches me when they are busy. Both are busy. Lady Aguri watches the young goddess baby and God of Death is urgently busy."
"Oh." She took her hand and watched her for a time. When she tried to get her to return again, she promised she would if it looked like they weren't busy.
Each time Lola returned, Aguri was busy. Etsuko was upset all the time because she wasn't supposed to change, so she couldn't be outside for too long. They even went just a distance to watch Luna, and he was definitely busy. He was trying to figure out village plans or space plans or something. No time for her.
"I suppose they are still busy." Lola would bring her around with her again. Hour after hour, Emiko just hung out with her Aunt Lola. She started to inspect her new home.
It would be pretty much her new home. It wasn't anything like before, but it was okay. There was a blanket and a pillow and a bed. Her Aunt Lola managed to have some of her things hanging up that she liked. It was reminiscent of their home.
"Emiko, I am going to have to insist you go home. It's going to be time for bed soon," she urged her.
"Yes, I will go home," Emiko said, "as a good girl should. Once my parents aren't busy. Are they still busy?"
"Aguri can still watch for you and Etsuko."
"For shame, Lola," Emiko criticized her. "That you make Lady Aguri deal with another young child when she is so busy with her own. Where do your duties really lie?" She had her.
She didn't. "Emiko, I have not been given permission to watch over you. Lord Reaper and Lady Aguri are watching over you and keeping you safe. That is their decision, not mine. Now? Let's go to your home."
Emiko let her sadly carry her back to Aguri's place. Aguri watched as Emiko came into the door. One more try. "I miss Aunt Akari sooo much, if I can't talk to her, can't I at least stay with Aunt Lola?"
"Emiko, it is best to stay with Lady Aguri," Aunt C. said once more.
"But she really is busy!" Emiko tried again as her Aunt Lola started to walk away. "Please Aunt C., I wanna go home!" She reached out her arms and went after her.
"Emiko, go back, what are you doing?"
"Lady Aguri is busy, or she would be here," she pointed out. "God of Death and Lady Aguri are so terribly busy all the time. Important things. Lots of important things. There's no time to dwell on me."
"That's not true, Lady Aguri is here," she countered Emiko.
Emiko looked back and saw Aguri. She didn't look well while Etsuko was playing with her face. She looks sick. She needs bed rest. Come on, Aunt C.
"Thanks for the return!" Luna was smiling, grabbed Emiko right up and just took her away. He took Etsuko from Aguri and plopped her right into Aguri's arms instead.
What the heck was that? Why'd he just dump her into Aguri's arms after that whole she was nothing but a duty thing?
"Thanks for watching her, Lola, we'll see you tomorrow," Luna thanked Aunt C. as she bowed and waved goodbye.
What?
"Maybe." Aguri looked toward Luna. "Maybe it's better?"
"Nope," Luna said to Aguri for some reason. "Let's get ready for bed."
Ugh. Well, one more night. The more time she spent with her Aunt C., the more likely she'd get what she wanted.
Damn. Korosensei thought it might happen, but he really didn't need it right now. Getting everything ready in a fake village to house everyone wasn't easy. Technology on them at the right minute could reveal everything about them, so they had to all act very human. No speed, no octopus appearance, everything had to remain human standard or hide and not come out.
But, things did happen, and he had to be careful. As much as his human shape was to his distaste? This just couldn't happen.
Aguri would feel guilt and shame if Emiko stayed with Lola, and that would never happen. Especially since she was the reason he was still ticking. "Why don't you read a story to Emiko in that picture book of ours? I'll watch Etsuko for a little while." Oh, Aguri's eyes.
"That's okay," Emiko insisted as she tried to get down. "Everyone is really busy, I can take care of getting myself to bed. I'm seven, and I'm a big girl."
"No way." Nuh uh. "Let Aguri put you to bed." Oh, Aguri still. "Why don't you spend some time tomorrow with Emiko? I'll drag Etsuko around with me."
"She can change," Aguri muttered. "That's dangerous."
"I can cover her up in a blanket?"
"She really doesn't like it. She's becoming more of a handful." Aguri dropped her eyes. "I shouldn't force a story on Emiko if she doesn't want one."
Damn! "Emiko, stay here," he commanded. They had to talk. He went to another room with Aguri and closed the door. "It's just home sickness, and it's a different situation right now."
"Not reading anything to her isn't bad for a night," Aguri insisted.
No, no. "You don't see what she's doing, do you? She's got us pegged, she knows our personalities. She is getting closer to her Aunt Lola, following her whenever we look busy, and trying to find excuses to stay with her longer. She's playing a long game, with her goal being to end up permanently with Lola."
Yeah, that seemed to bring some life to Aguri's eyes. "Oh."
"It's a good tactic. Makes it looks like she cares because she isn't bothering us, but she just wants to leave back with Lola." Aguri just stared at him. "She'll be fine."
"She doesn't want us." Aguri breathed slower. "I knew I wasn't very good, but I didn't think I was on the edge of getting fired." She tried to make a joke. "This'd hurt if I hadn't been terrible myself not telling her who she is. Maybe she should go then?"
"Nope. Nope, nope, nope, a thousand times nope." That was not happening. "She's six."
"Seven," she reminded him. "We didn't even really notice her birthday."
"We stuck a candle on her fruit?"
"I don't think that's what she wanted. I don't know what she wanted. Something Akari would have done. She wants Akari and Lola, they were her guardians. They were home. To her, we just swooped in and . . ." She shrugged. "We took her from home."
"She might change her mind," he said, "if we did tell her the truth. I don't think there's anything magical to who she wants to be with. She just wants her family." He wouldn't tell Emiko the truth as long as Aguri said she didn't want her to know. But if he could just change Aguri's mind?
"Home is where a person feels loved and safe with the people who care. She doesn't feel that."
Of course not, she didn't realize she was even with her parents. "We don't have the best parenting skills beyond Etsuko yet. Normally parents kind of grow with the children, but she was just shoved at us. We're a little behind our skill. We are still good. We'll learn."
Aguri looked toward Etsuko. "I want to reach out to her better, but Etsuko has to stay inside and not be seen, but she wants to be out there." She gave a pathetic laugh. "What I wouldn't give for just some popcorn, a couch, and a dirty movie with you again."
Yeah, but he couldn't complain. They were all still alive, and things were coming together. "Just promise me you won't let her go with Lola more than an hour tomorrow. I can totally be a lazy God of Death and stay inside and watch Etsuko for a bit if you need me to."
Those two had to get along. Aguri was easy to get along with, she had a better chance of reaching Emiko as a friend. He left the bathroom and looked around. For the love of- "Emiko!" Gone.
"Easy," Aguri said to him. "You know what to do."
Yeah, he did. "Messenger of God!" She was never too far. Lola appeared right outside the door with Emiko holding her hand.
"She is right here, Lord Reaper." Lola bowed to him. "She said she felt uncomfortable being alone while you were having a private conversation so she sought me out. I brought her near the door and waited for you."
Emiko had bowed like Lola, which had put a proud smile on Lola's face. Yeah, it would, she was trying to appeal to her as much as possible.
"You see, their conversation is over now," Lola said to Emiko. "You may stay with them now safely. I will see you tomorrow."
Emiko just waved with a sigh. "I will get my PJ's on and go to bed then so I don't distrub Lord Reaper and Lady Aguri."
"Yes, a good idea." Lola patted her head.
"No, bad idea." This was getting worse. Aguri was looking worse. I know it looks to her like we are keeping her from her family, but we aren't. He could prove it. He still had some bribery candy.
He held out a candybar. "Come on, Emiko. Are you sure you don't want Aguri to help tuck you in?" He was surprised about a couple of things. For one, Emiko had enough emotions to actually turn down a candybar to stay with her loved ones. She turned down her needs for someone she felt like was family.
For two, Aguri also saw it, and it became even more clear what would happen. Before he could stop it, she said-
"I think your messenger should move in with us."
What? What?! That wasn't what he thought she'd say.
"I think it'll take time for Emiko to get more used to us, and we are often busy," Aguri said to him. "I know you like privacy away from your people, Korosenpai, but having something feel like home in a place that isn't, could be a first real step in the right direction?"
Ooh. Oh. Lola is annoying as sin. It was an option though, and a better one than he thought Aguri would choose. "Well, Lola?"
"I will give you and Lady Aguri absolute peace whenever you need it!" Of course she would take the offer. "Mainly. Um? Though the Lord Reaper wishes me to be here for the raising of Emiko, I alone am not worthy enough for the position?"
Oh yeah, she liked night life. "We aren't busy toward night, we can watch her full time then."
"Yes, Lord Reaper!" She was happy with that.
Emiko still didn't look happy. Strange, she got what she wanted. What was he missing? I know it's her birthday and we haven't spent an ounce of time with her. He tossed the candybar at her, but she didn't bother catching it? It just fell to the ground. She wouldn't just let candy fall. She should be happy too, she just snagged Lola like she wanted.
So what the hell was this?
"Why can't Aunt Akari live with us too?"
Ugh, no. Korosensei groaned. "Human. Media. Watching. We can't get close to anyone or anything right now." If they could he would definitely be curled up on a couch watching one of their great videos with Aguri.
Lola picked up the candy. "Oh, Lord Reaper? Sorry? Um, she can't have too much of that kind. She likes chocolate, but a few bites and she would be a yellow octopus for more than a few hours."
Ooh. Wrong candy. She had to deny candy, because she had to deny the candy for safety reasons. Okay, good explanation. "Sorry about that. We'll eventually get something different for you. We'll celebrate your birthday for real when things get going along well too." Good.
Emiko went over by the window. "I miss Aunt Akari. I wish she was my mom."
Ouch! What?! Right in front of Aguri?
"I wish Yanagisawa was my real dad too. Then, since he's so mean, I wouldn't have to stay with him. Oops. No, that's not true. The great God of Death assassinated thousands and I'm still with him."
Why. That. Not Emiko! "Chou Chou, where the hell is Emiko?!"
Emiko glared at him. "Took you long enough. Why do you care? You never wanted her in the first place. She wasn't that important, not even a side thought."
"Chou Chou!" He called her out again. "Where is Emiko?"
"Oh, she is just thinking about what to do about her father being a real psycho, that's all." She pointed at him. "I may have left Yanagisawa's painful side, but if you think I'll ever forgive you for forgetting me, you are crazy."
"Where is Emiko?" Aguri was starting to ask now too. "What did you tell her?"
"I took her where she's been wanting to go. Home," she said with emphasis. "And I don't give a shit how dangerous that spike to fly was, it was at least a distance outside the village."
"Chou Chou!"
"Then make your little private moments with Lady Aguri, shorter," she teased him. "Then maybe I can't get away with things."
"She doesn't even know you that much."
"She knows her Aunt Lola." Chou Chou still looking like Emiko gestured to Lola. "She'd go anywhere with her family. Especially when her Luna really made it a point how she was just a duty to everyone."
Damn! She impersonated him too? "She took her to Akari." Oh no. Everything Yanagisawa did to her, Chou Chou is be more disturbed than I thought. She's been using shells to trick everyone today. Were they still safe?
"If Emiko is caught with Akari, there will be serious trouble," Aguri urged him. "If we get too close, there will be trouble too. What do we do?"
They had no choice, they'd have to connect with Akari. "Chou Chou."
"You're ready to shoo me away now?"
"Drop the appearance, get out of this home, and don't do anything else wrong!" Right now, he didn't know how to handle Chou Chou, but he had to handle this situation. Now.
Akari's New Apartment
Akari was fixing her makeup. She didn't have a need to put on makeup, but the press was coming at her whenever they wanted to. At least Aguri and Emiko and the new little one were safe. So was her old teacher.
She heard a knock on her door. Only certain people could reach her new apartment door after she lost her last one. When she answered it?
She grabbed Emiko right away and brought her in! "What are you doing here?"
"Lola brought me," she said to her as she hugged her. "Who is my father?"
Huh? "I don't know."
"I was trying to get her to take me to her house instead, and then she told me all kinds of bad things." She squeezed her tighter. "I'm seven now?"
"Yes, I know it was your birthday," she said, knowing Emiko was changing subjects on purpose. "What did Lola tell you?"
"She said that she felt I was more important than following her god now," she said. "She was going to risk her life to bring me back home."
What? That didn't sound like Lola at all. "Honey, your father is not the one I thought." Ohh. She watched her door creak open. "Nagisa."
Nagisa appeared by the door. "Sorry, I would have knocked. You got me on a private list of people to come up, I appreciate that." He looked toward Emiko, not surprised to see her. "I really gotta talk to you privately?"
Akari knew what sounds surrounded press hiding made, and she heard it. "Nagisa."
Nagisa heard it too. "Hey!" He went after them. "Hey, you better not use any of that!"
Oh no. She waited for Nagisa to come back, but watched as someone else crossed by her. Stupid.
"That guy," Nagisa said as he returned. "I got him and I checked his phone. He sent a message with video already."
Of course. "We won't be able to hide Emiko for long."
"Never a good idea to," her cohost said as they crossed the hall. They were the reason she had chosen that spot for her new apartment. "Even in these nice private areas for us, you can't hide family. My wife wanted to try to hide the fact she was pregnant long enough for us to know for sure before the press spread it all out. Press still got the news out before we could tell our families." He gestured between them. "Nice job though, I don't know how you hid a little girl between you two for so long."
Between? "Oh no, it's going to sound-"
"Yeah they have the truth, you know it'll hit social media within the hour, I'm sorry Yukimura," he apologized to her. "I know some privacy is just impossible for certain things." He gestured to Nagisa. "Especially with both of you being in the media already lately. Glad to hear the news everything worked out alright."
"Uh?"
Akari yanked Nagisa toward the apartment. "Thanks, Tsukasa, sorry." She closed the door. Emiko was right behind her.
"What did he mean?" Nagisa asked her. "How are we going to get Emiko out of here?"
"The good news is, we aren't as young. The press won't be so happy, but maybe accepting it at our age now will help?" It was too dangerous to send Emiko away now, she no longer had Lola, and she would need help until they could figure out how to get her back home.
"What do you mean we aren't as young?" Nagisa said, still clueless. "What do you think that guy captured on the video? What were you talking about before I showed up?"
"I asked who my father was," Emiko said to him. "She said it wasn't the one she had thought before. She thought it was Yanagisawa, but then, that makes it Korosensei."
"Oh, it's not," Akari corrected her. "They already had their egg."
"Um?" Nagisa acted a little weird.
"But . . . but he's dangerous," she said almost in a strained whisper. "He killed a thousand people! Aunt Lola wasn't embellishing, she swore it. She showed me all kinds of articles and pictures. Is Luna good or is he bad? And is he? And if he was, that would mean Aguri would be? But. No one admits it."
"Oh. It's complicated."
"Korosensei isn't your dad, but he is good though," Akari said. "He's very good. That's why he's watching over you with my sister Aguri. They just want to protect you."
"Um? Akari, we still need to talk?"
Akari heard more sounds in the hallway. She had such little trust in it. She opened the door and checked again. "Korosensei is good, and you'll have to believe me. For a little while though, we have to play a game of pretend again." She looked toward Nagisa. "Sorry, Nagisa."
"About what?"
"When she asked about her dad, I said your name when you scooched the door open. Once that ends up on social media, everyone will assume Emiko is ours."
"Oh." He was casual for a minute. Counted on his fingers. "Oh! Whoah! That's not good."
"No, that would be a secret relationship type of thing," she admitted. "Still, it'll keep Emiko safe until we figure out how to get her back to the safety of Korosensei."
"I don't want to go back, God of Death killed lots of people! And I make you and Lola cranky easily. I'm lucky he hasn't murdered me yet. I even held his hand for a long, long time just shopping."
"He's not bad. It's a tricky thing to explain," Nagisa tried. "He used to be different, but then he got better when he became what he is now. It was a profession, not a personal vendetta thing for the murders. He was an assassin. He made money doing it, it wasn't because he was psycho."
She just looked at him so strangely, like she couldn't understand the difference.
"He killed people for money. It was a job, he didn't just kill anyone."
"He killed people for money?" she asked.
"He eliminated targets for good and bad people," he said, trying to stir her a little more to a better side. "He helped a lot of people too."
"He tried to make a school into assassins. That means he wanted you and Aunt Akari to murder people for money!"
"Well, um? Mainly just him." Those weren't the right words!
"He was dangerous, and he wanted to teach us before he died," Akari said. "It was a way to give back before he left for good."
"Right. Then he rose from the dead." She said it all firmly. "Is it really weird that I'm scared of this? I don't want to die!" She held onto Akari. "Just let me stay here, please. Things are already really bad anyway, Aguri needs her attention on the baby, and God of Death is always busy. I don't mind this, I can call you mommy Aunt Akari, and I can learn daddy for Nagisa. No problem."
"We would have been way young," Nagisa said to Akari. "I mean, seriously, for anyone to buy Emiko was ours it would have to be . . ."
"Coming to terms and grieving for Korosensei," she said softly. "Yeah, we'd be real young. That's why I hid her so well. It would have ruined my whole career to have her discovered. We are older now, press like stories that would have been bad but ended good. We're old enough now to have kids and it would be okay. Somewhat. I mean? We need to plan a marriage."
"Oooh, I don't . . ." Yeah, of course Nagisa wasn't comfortable with that.
"Just, plan it. We don't have to go through it, just plan it. The more we look like we are taking responsibility, the better the press will handle this," she pleaded. "Please, Nagisa, we don't have to get married. Just the illusion, but this could end my career if we don't play this the right way! You don't understand how hard society can be on this kind of thing."
A small whine from Nagisa. "Just, planning. Just until we find a way to get her to her home."
"I don't want to go live with someone like that!" Emiko insisted. She held her Aunt Akari tighter. "Please Aunt Akari, please. I'm . . . I'm a little girl, I get in trouble, I'm not perfect, I could get killed if I make him mad!"
"You don't understand him." Akari bent down and hugged her.
"He doesn't like me anyway. He says I remind me of himself as a human, and he hates it. That means he already hates me. And, one time when I went shopping with him, he shoved crayons at me breaking them. He's angry around me, and I was fine with it. But if he kills people really well? That's not who I want to make angry."
"You have to trust us," Nagisa said to her. "Korosensei doesn't like his human self because of all the assassinations. He's changed. He's a really good guy."
"Emiko is barely seven though," Akari said to Nagisa sadly. "She's really scared."
"He's scariest in his human form, but even when he was in his octopus form, he would just treat me like a student and teach me colors. He isn't right in the head, Aunt Akari."
"You need to start calling me mom," Akari warned her.
"Please, Momma?" Emiko added with no hesitation at all.
"Korosensei is a great and wonderful person," Akari told her. "I can see though why you are scared. We . . . kind of have a problem now anyhow, so you have to stay." She felt her niece cheerily hug her, but she didn't feel as cheery. "Aguri and Korosensei are wonderful, and they are going to miss you."
"Aguri has a baby to watch," Emiko insisted. "Besides, I'm not their kid. They won't really mind."
"I know," Akari confessed.
"Kayano, can we really go talk for just a quick second?" Nagisa was bugging her again.
"I guess." Third appearance of same girl she had been caught with twice in the past she lied about. Footage on social media that sounded like Nagisa was the father. If she didn't do something to address it now, then people would be asking 'who she was' and all the good that Korosensei had accomplished with his latest broadcast would be squashed. It wasn't even very long ago that the government swore to everyone the threat had been neutralized.
"Actually? I don't know if I have the right to say anything," he said cryptically.
"Nagisa?" What was he talking about?
"Any money that's gotta be paid for any planning for a wedding I can't afford. Seriously, I'm wanting to become a great teacher. I'm no famous actor."
Oh, he must have been thinking about someone who could loand him money. "I get it. It's okay," she teased him. "We'll get through this. Once things settle down again, we can give Emiko back, and put this in the past." For now? "I think it's probably a good idea to have a public meal tonight with you two." She looked at Emiko. "You know."
"No octopussing around, I promise," Emiko said as she held up her hand. "Let me stay and I'll be a good girl as best as I can."
Emiko knew the risk. She was small, but she knew what was at stake. "Did you eat yet, Nagisa?" He shook his head no. Good. "Then let's go eat."
"Ooh! My birthday was yesterday!" Emiko reminded her. "Can we celebrate it?"
"Didn't you celebrate it with Aguri and Korosensei?" Akari asked.
"Nah. There's no tv, water, or electricity where we are all hiding," she revealed. "Nothing comes in and out but basic stuff. I was lucky to get a peach that day."
"Things are probably desperate to even survive," Nagisa warned Akari. "Fine, we'll go eat. But then, I think you and I should talk later about things privately too. Really."
Akari knew what that talk might warrant. If they were hiding so deep? Then maybe everything wouldn't work out as well this time.
"I got it." Digi ran straight over to Lola the next day. "Just for the Messenger of God, I did. Here you go." He handed it to her. "For God of Death."
Lola took Akari's phone. They needed someone to leave the vicinity and find a place to charge the phone. "Thank you, I will take it to our Lord and Lady Aguri."
She reached the little home's door and knocked. Lady Aguri answered. "Digi charged it."
"Props to Digi." Korosensei went up by the door with Lady Aguri. The phone hadn't worked in days, there was no electricity near there, so they really had no choice but to get that done.
Aguri made the call of course. "Akari?"
Korosensei let her speak privately to her sister. He waited to hear what she had to say.
"She's safe," Aguri said softly as she got off the phone. "Akari just got wrangled into this mess of ours. So did Nagisa.
"Nagisa?"
"My sister and a previous student are believed to have conceived Emiko in middle school. That isn't going to be easy to come back from, I really messed this up for sure."
Yeah. The press was gonna eat it up.
"They talked to the press on their first family outing," Aguri said softly. "Nagisa said that responsibility is making them step forward. They are even going to make plans to get married. Anything they can do to get this off their backs to keep her safe." This negativity could affect both their futures, they had to play it right.
Damn. Just another reason he didn't want to involve his former students.
"Well?" Aguri looked at Etsuko in her arms, struggling to get her attention. "It's just us three again."
"For now," he comforted her. "It's temporary, we'll get her back."
"Should we have her back? Akari is her real family. I may be her biological mother, but Akari is the one she certainly grew the closest to." Aguri held Etsuko closer. "Maybe this is good."
What? She isn't going to get too close to two random people watching her, Aguri. She would give it a try with people that were her parents. Why couldn't she see that? "Okay. Sure, make Nagisa and Akari get married and handle her for the rest of her life. That's not going to interfere with their lives at all." He knew Aguri wasn't feeling a whole lot of good vibes lately. She'd been forced to stay inside with Etsuko, dealing with Emiko when he wasn't, feeling the guilt from hiding Emiko's identity, and now this.
"If this turns out well, then maybe we can get her back," Aguri said out loud. "If we are in some trouble and can't back out though, at least we know she'll be safe? She'll have a real-" She paused. She didn't finish her statement as she placed Etsuko on the ground. She needed to move and she was refusing to be human.
Bad or good? "Are you not wanting her back?" Not another step in the wrong direction.
"I just think that . . . maybe taking her back from a place that can actually take care of her, isn't the right thing to do." She sighed. "I know, I'm not mother of the year by that statement. But? You offered to let me choose where I wanted to go. I think she should have that same choice."
Etsuko started to roll around the home.
If it wasn't for Aguri coming back, then we might not have triggered sympathy from Karasuma. Maybe. Building a relationship with Emiko is important, but we can't concentrate on it in this atmosphere. It was probably doing more harm than good, especially with everything Chou Chou told her. Ugh, Chou Chou! She was probably scared out of her mind of him now. "We won't get her, until or unless you're ready," he offered. He saw the relief in her eyes. Understanding.
Emiko was better off where she had been. Maybe it would even just stay her home. It was hard to say for sure yet, but as Aguri came over and hugged him, he knew that he at least got the words right.
After all? As much as he could feel it was the wrong actions for Aguri, none of them might stick around for that long. That was probably part of the reason she never wanted Emiko to know the truth in the first place.
But? If he could just? "If something happens to both of us, can Nagisa reveal the truth to her?" Nagisa knew. He couldn't have held that truth back if he tried from him. Lola didn't know and Akari didn't know.
"At the end, isn't that even crueler?" Aguri asked him.
No. "I think she deserves to know where she came from, but I respect your wishes." Aguri just stared at him for a little bit.
"Yeah," she decided. "She should know where she came from. Everybody should get that. That's the right thing to do."