Day Six
Niche’s House, Dawn, Present
Niche walks through his front door.
The house is wrong. He's been here since his father died, but never like this. Never with nothing to do but look at it.
His mom's coffee mug sits on the counter, three days old. Film on top. Mika's cereal bowl in the sink, milk long soured. His father's reading glasses on the side table.
He moves through rooms like a ghost. Family photos watch from walls. Mika's door is ajar. Unmade bed, chemistry homework still open on her desk. She was solving for X. Never will now.
Shima's asleep on the couch, curled into herself. She doesn't stir when he walks past.
In his father's study, blood stains the carpet. Faded but visible. Police tape residue on the doorframe. They processed the scene and left. Case closed. Random break-in.
Niche searches his father's desk. In a hidden drawer, wrapped in velvet, a single time crystal with a note beneath it that reads, "Emergency use only. 15 seconds maximum. No more exist. -Dad"
Niche pockets it. Fifteen seconds of stopped time. One use. His father could stop time at will, but Niche needs this crutch.
He sits on the floor of the study. Can't bring himself to clean anything. Can't bring himself to leave either.
Niche’s Kitchen, Hours Later, Present
Empty coffee cups accumulate on the kitchen counter. He makes another pot. Drinks it black, mechanical.
It tastes bad. Has it always tasted bad?
Do I even like coffee? Maybe I was just faking. For all the people I had. To fit in with them.
The sun rises higher. No one calls. No one checks in. Arius has gone to wherever he sleeps. Ryuga is probably reporting to Yuna from some remote location. Even Maruka, after last night, maintaining distance.
Shima's gone now too, slipped out without a word. Same as the others: gone without a trace.
Niche sits alone. Alone in a dead house with a ticking clock.
Raizen materializes in cat form, jumping onto the counter.
"One day left," Raizen observes.
"I know."
"Have you decided how you'll handle the merger?"
"There's nothing to handle. I'll die or I won't." His voice is completely flat.
"So you're giving up."
"I'm being realistic."
Long silence. Then Raizen laughs. Actually laughs.
"What's funny?" Niche asks, flustered.
"You. Day one, you made me promise to kill you if you failed. So dramatic. So determined." The cat's tail swishes. "Now look at you. Not even trying to fail. Just... nothing."
Niche doesn't react. Stares at coffee cup number seven. Or eight. Lost count.
"I suppose I shouldn't be surprised,” Raizen continues with a sigh. “Every bearer gives up eventually. Takeshi lasted longer, but it’s the same result in the end."
Still nothing. The house creaks. Wind whistles through gaps that were never there when people lived here.
"Although..." Raizen stretches, yawns. "The other bearers at least tried to figure out
they were chosen. There's a…place in the old city. No records, older than anything else here. They all went eventually." He licks his paw. "But that would require you to care."
"Fuck off."
"You're right. Better to die ignorant than risk learning something uncomfortable." Another laugh. "I'll tell the next bearer you were exactly like the rest. Weak when it mattered."
Niche's jaw tightens. First emotion in hours.
"The contract we made," Raizen continues. "You said you'd break the cycle or die trying. But you're not dying trying. You're just...dying."
Niche doesn't respond. He stares at the counter. At the coffee cups lined up like evidence of wasted hours.
Then he stands. Grabs the time crystal from his pocket, feels its weight.
"Where are you—"
"To that fucking place. Happy?"
"I'm merely observing."
Niche storms out the front door. The morning air hits him, cold. His breath fogs in front of him as he walks.
Raizen follows in cat form, trotting alongside. For a while, neither speaks. Just footsteps on pavement. The neighborhood is quiet. Too early for most people, too late for the ones who never came home.
Raizen's ears twitch. He glances at a street sign, then another.
"Niche.” Raizen tries to paw Niche’s calf to get his attention.
No response.
Raizen tries again. "The old city is east.”
Niche keeps walking.
"We're heading south," Raizen continues to nag.
Still nothing.
Raizen speeds up, cutting in front of him. "Hello? Where are we going?"
Niche stops. Looks down at the cat.
"The city can wait. Someone's been watching me. Time to find out why."
Residential District, Bus Stop, Present
They round the corner and Niche stops.
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A bus stop looms ahead. One that hasn't seen service in months, the schedule board faded and cracked. Someone's sitting there anyway.
Usui.
Raizen's fur bristles. "Him."
Niche doesn't respond. Just watches. Usui hasn't moved. Hasn't looked up. Just sitting there like he's been waiting.
Like he knew Niche was coming.
Niche crosses the street, one hand in his coat pocket, the other swaying confidently. His footsteps echo on the empty pavement. Usui still doesn't look up until Niche is standing right in front of him.
"Fancy seeing you here," Usui says.
"Cut the act." Niche's voice is flat. "How did you know about my trials?"
"What trials?"
"The five trials. Damage, Intelligence, Speed, Defense, Purity." Niche watches Usui's face carefully. "You told me about them before I even knew."
"Oh, ,” Usui dismisses. “My father researches—"
"Your father. Right." Niche steps closer. "Funny thing – I found books about the trials. But they never mentioned those specific five. Just said each bearer faces different ones."
Usui's expression flickers. He knows he’s caught.
"So either your father knows something no one else does, or—"
Usui moves fast, pulling something from his jacket—
Usui freezes mid-draw, device half-out of his pocket.
Niche pulls his hand out of his coat. The crystal is cracked. A glowing substance leaks from the fracture, coating his fingers.
The goo isn't moving; wisps of light stay frozen mid-rise from his palm.
Even the crystal's own substance gets stopped. Which means time stop is complete. Everything. No exceptions.
Niche walks over and plucks the device from Usui's frozen hand.
He examines it. Sleek metal with a simple trigger and intensity dial. Like a gun designed by someone who'd never seen violence. He remembers Usui's fumbling when he drew it. The way he checked the dial twice before aiming.
Amateur. He didn't even know if it would work.
The dial has settings: "Surface Wipe" to "Deep Cleanse" to "Total Reset." Usui had it on “Surface.” Just enough to forget a conversation if a person were to accidentally reveal too much.
Point and shoot. Even an idiot could use it. Which explains why they gave it to Usui.
He tests the weight. Light. Probably only a few charges before the power cell dies.
As time resumes, the goo immediately evaporates from Niche’s hand.
"—where did it go?" Usui blinks, his hand empty.
"This thing?" Niche holds up the device.
Usui lunges for it. Niche sidesteps effortlessly, eyes locked onto the device, still examining the weapon.
"Interesting tech. Memory manipulation?" Niche asks.
"Give it back." Usui's getting desperate.
"Who sent you? Who's your real father?" Niche questions.
Usui's eyes dart around, looking for an exit. His desperate attitude quickly shifts to defensive. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"You knew about my trials before I did. Someone told you,” Niche explains, not even pretending to believe Usui’s fa?ade.
"Maybe I'm just observant." Usui tries to smile. It doesn't reach his eyes. "You'd be surprised what you can learn just by watching."
Niche goes still. "Watching."
"I've been keeping an eye on you for a while now, Niche. You're not as careful as you think."
"You're lying," Niche says. "You couldn't follow me without me noticing. So who's really been watching? Your father?"
Usui flinches.
"The one who gave you that toy in your pocket. The one who tells you what to do." Niche tilts his head. "Does he even remember your name? Or are you just another tool to him?"
Usui reaches into his other pocket – another device. But Niche is faster.
FLASH.
The beam hits Usui center mass. He crumples to the ground, eyes rolling back.
"I'm glad Maruka tipped me off about you," Niche mutters to the unconscious lifeform. "Her intuition was right."
Niche waits, counting to ten. Usui's eyes flutter open.
"Oh, hello Niche." Usui sits up, confused but friendly. "What brings you to this part of town?" Usui speaks like they're meeting for the first time.
Niche inconspicuously looks down at the device behind his back.
"Just passing through." Niche pockets the device.
"Actually, Usui.” Niche’s tone changes. “Can I tell you something in confidence?"
"Of course."
"I'm going to use the time crystal tonight. I’ll go back and save everyone."
Usui's eyes light up with interest. "Time crystal? Where do you keep something like that?"
"Why do you need to know?" Niche asks, acting dumb.
"For safety. What if something happens to you?"
Niche pretends to consider. "You're right. It's hidden in my room, behind the loose floorboard under my bed."
"Smart hiding spot." Usui nods approvingly. "Your secret's safe with me."
"I'm sure it is." Niche smiles. "See you around, Usui."
Niche turns and walks away with Raizen trailing him, leaving Usui standing dazed at the empty bus stop.
Residential District, Present
"Clever," Raizen comments. "False information to see if he reports to someone."
"His 'father' will be very disappointed tonight."
"Now the city?"
"One more stop."
"You're stalling."
"I'm being thorough." Niche turns down a side street towards Maruka's neighborhood. "You wanted me to try. I'm trying."
Maruka's House, 7 AM, Present
Niche rings the doorbell. Raizen sits at his feet in cat form, licking his paw.
"Switch," Niche mutters.
“What?”
“Go into your sword.”
"Why?"
"Because she can't know you can manipulate matter. You'd think that'd be obvious. What do you think she’ll do when she sees a talking cat? Seems like some people don’t have common sense, even after years of isolation."
“Doesn’t she already know I can do this?”
“No, she doesn’t,” Niche responds quickly, not even thinking about the question.
“What if I just don’t talk?”
Niche raises his foot and nudges Raizen with it on his side to signal to him to shut up.
“Hurry,” Niche urges. “She’s coming now. I can hear her.”
"Fine. Give me a moment.”
Niche rings the doorbell again and waits.
The door opens. Maruka stands there in pajamas, hair messy, squinting against the morning light. The shirt's tight. The shorts are tighter.
Focus.
"Niche? It's seven in the morning. On a Saturday. Is something wrong?” Maruka asks, half asleep.
"I need you to take something,” Niche says, trying his best to focus.
She leans against the doorframe, arms crossed. The movement does something to the shirt that Niche actively chooses not to think about in this moment.
Niche sweeps his foot against Raizen, who still didn’t switch.
Maruka blinks. "Did you just kick your cat?"
"No.”
"I saw you kick him."
"He was in the way."
"Of what?"
Niche feels the weight shift on his back. The sword becomes denser, like a consciousness “filling up” the sword’s hollow blade. Finally.
"Take this." Niche reaches back and unhooks Raizen from his shoulder, holding out the blade. “Keep him safe today."
She blinks, still half-asleep. "Your sword?"
"Wait, what?" Raizen's voice comes from the blade, indignant. "You can't just hand me off like—"
"Take him,” Niche repeats.
"I'm not a pet you can loan out! This is completely undignified!"
Maruka takes the sword automatically, her brain not fully present yet. "Why are you giving me your angry sword?"
"Just trust me. Don't let anyone else touch him."
"This is ridiculous," Raizen complains. "What am I supposed to do with her all day?"
"I don't know. Girl talk?" Maruka suggests.
"I'm a divine weapon, not a sleepover accessory!"
Maruka holds the sword awkwardly. "Does he always complain this much?"
"Always,” Niche assures.
"I can hear you both! This is beneath my station!" Raizen calls out, his pleas ignored.
"I'll come get him tonight." Niche is already backing away.
"Niche, wait—" Raizen desperately begs.
But Niche is already gone, halfway down the street.
Maruka closes the door and turns around.
She looks at the sword in her hands. "So...want breakfast?"
"This is humiliating," Raizen mutters. "Reduced to being babysat by a teenage girl."
"Yeah, well, join the club." She yawns, heading inside the kitchen. "Hope you like cereal, your highness."
"I don't eat!"
"Then you can watch me eat. Quietly."
"The disrespect..."
She sits at the table with her bowl. The house is quiet except for the sound of her spoon against ceramic.
Her phone sits face-up on the table. No messages. She keeps glancing at it anyway.
"You'd make a good mother," Raizen says suddenly.
Maruka looks up. "What?"
"Just thinking out loud." His tone is light, almost amused.
She goes back to her cereal.
A few minutes pass. She's scrolling through her phone with one hand, eating with the other.
"Wha' did you mean by tha'?" Her mouth is full.
"Hm?"
She swallows. "The mother thing. What'd you mean?"
"Oh. Nothing really. You just seem like the type."
"The type to what?"
"Worry about people. Make sure they're eating. Bring them books at dawn." He pauses for effect. "Wonder what Niche is up to right now? He probably needs someone to check on him."
Maruka stops mid-bite and stares at the sword.
"I'm just saying," Raizen continues, amused. "You've got the instincts down."
She sets her spoon down. She doesn't say anything.
"Hit a nerve?" Raizen asks, smug.
"Shut up."
"There it is."
She picks up her bowl and walks to the sink, dumping the rest out.
