At least something got done today?

[estirose]

Actually, several things got done today, which makes me happy.

However, I'm just going to note one here: "Feeling For The Right Things", a Kamen Rider Gaim ficlet, futurefic, spoilery for series, Takatora/Akira (sort of) posted to fan_flashworks.

ETA: And I continue my bad habit of (unrelated, in this case) fic in the comments.

Comments

[estirose]

"Micchy. Micchy!"

Kureshima Mitsuzane looked up dully from the table in Sengoku Ryouma's secret lab. Mai was standing there, or at least her spirit was. "I need you to do something for me, Micchy."

There was an infinitely sad expression on her face, and Mitsuzane was reminded of all the awful things he'd done to her. If it wouldn't have been disrespectful of the dead, he would have laughed in her face.

But he'd learned that only sad compliance made the ghosts go away, to listen to their criticisms and accept them. If he'd been a better person, Mai would not have died, and so he had to pay the price.

She was suddenly holding out a golden fruit. "I need you to take this and close the gateway between Helheim and Earth. Kaito won't do it and I won't let Kouta become a martyr."

It made sense to let him sacrifice himself. It was actually something he could do, just because he was worthless. He reached out to her, and the Fruit was in his hands. The Fruit that had caused Sid to die, the Fruit that he thought he'd never deal with after it became obvious that he was a waste of space.

There was a tingle, and then the Fruit disappeared. Suddenly, he realized he could feel the Forest trying to push its way onto Earth, and as he looked up, he could see DJ Sagara - Helheim - just standing there.

"That's an interesting choice," Sagara said to Mai. There was a certain light in the avatar's eyes.

"Kaito's nearly gone, and I won't let Kouta sacrifice himself." There was a boldness in Mai's words.

"Ah." Sagara turned to him. "So what will it be? To create, or to destroy? To remake the world in your image, or to let it destroy you?"

He'd done a pretty good job of destroying himself, to be honest. That was why Mai's spirit had chosen him; he could do one noble thing, die for what she wanted.

Closing his eyes, he felt the energy behind Sagara, just patiently waiting to be used. Helheim would surge forward at his bidding, go forward and shape people into Inves - Overlord Inves. People would become what he wanted them to be?

Wouldn't that be nice, part of him whispered, that he could finally shape the world as he'd tried to do before, make people be what he wanted them to be. Except he'd seen the consequences of that; he'd seen how it could be misused. Kouta was too optimistic; Mai had chosen Mitsuzane because he'd seen the terrible truth. Kouta had forgiven him because he was idealistic; Mai knew better.

No, the Forest had to go away, as Mai had asked, because he could do this one last thing for her. "I'm not worth anything anyway," he said. He mentally pushed, shoving Helheim far away from Earth. It was hard, he realized, because the Fruit was making him part of Helheim and it was hard to tear himself away. But it didn't matter. Even if he really couldn't make it up to Mai for all he'd done, he could still make it up to her ghost.

He thought he saw Sagara grimace before he disappeared. He couldn't feel the Forest anymore, which was good, wasn't it? He'd redeemed himself, and now all he had to do was die.

Closing his eyes, he hoped that it came fast.