karaniji (kinome) 9

[feralphoenix]

You can read this chapter here on the MAGKAN official website!

Content warnings for this chapter include minor character death, corpses, body horror, and grief.



The creature was born from a tiny little swamp.

Its world was limited to the swamp, and the scenery around it. That was all.
And so, it thought the world was incredibly boring.

And then one day, many months after it had been born...
Human: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
[sfx: SKID SKID SKID SKID THUMP]

That moment, it realized for the first time...
That other living creatures existed beside itself.

But, the creature that had appeared before it...
Didn't move.
What to do about its loneliness?
Thinking about it... the creature realized something.

Where had this other thing come from?
Maybe... the world was larger than just this little swamp?!
Maybe, if it went outside, there would be lots of other living things too!
With a heart full of hope, it set out from the swamp.

Just as it dreamed, the outside world was full of life.
Critters: EEEeeeeeeeek!! Gross!!
Critters: Go away!!
Amoeba: Ah...
Critters: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Critters: IT'S A GHOST!!!!!!!!!! IT'S GONNA EAT US!!!!!!!!!! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!
Amoeba: U... ah...
Critters: EEEEEE!!!!!!!!! STAY AWAY!!!!!!!!!! MONSTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Amoeba: *sob* *sob*

But the creature didn't give up. Surely somewhere in this wide world there existed a place that would accept it.
It kept searching, and kept believing.
It believed... and believed... and believed...
Amoeba: Tch... This rain's a real pain in the ass.
Amoeba: Everybody out here's a real jerk! If I'd known I would never've left the swamp.
Amoeba: If I'd never left, I wouldn't feel so...

Amoeba: ......? What was that? Something just flashed up there...
Rainbow King: HYAWAH... WAH... WAH...

Rainbow King: GYAN!
Amoeba: (Wah!!! What the heck?! Who is this?!)
Amoeba: (They're so sparkly!!!)
Rainbow King: I messed up... The air currents are so different from up in the sky...
Amoeba: (I've never seen anyone so pretty!!)

Amoeba: (And compared to them, I'm so...)
[sfx: GASP!!! / flinch]
Rainbow King: An amoeba!!!
Amoeba: (Huh?! What? What's an amoeba?!)

Rainbow King: You're an amoeba, right?!
Amoeba: (Huh? They mean ME?!)
Rainbow King: Wow, I never realized that ancient life forms like you were still around! How wonderful! You're so cute!
Rainbow King: You can turn into anything you want, right?! Would you show me, please?!
Amoeba: Ah... eh... huh......?
[sfx: oh!]
Rainbow King: Ahhh! I'm sorry! I didn't even introduce myself! I've been so rude! And after all that time I spent learning how to act down here!!

Rainbow King: Nice to meet you, friend! I'm the Rainbow King!

Rainbow King: What's your name?
Amoeba: W... what's a name...?
Rainbow King: OH NO! You don't have one?!
Amoeba: Well, sorRY...
Rainbow King: "Sorry"? Don't apologize! This just means that we can name you now!
Rainbow King: Hmm, what sort of name would you like best?

[sfx: hrrmmmmrmrmmrmmrmmmmm]
Rainbow King: Eba!
Rainbow King: How about Eba?! Eba, 'cause you're an amoeba!
[AMOEBA]
Rainbow King: Oh! I-I'm sorry! I didn't even ask permission... and it's so on the nose, too...
Rainbow King: You should pick one for yourself instead...
Amoeba: It's okay!
Amoeba: I like "Eba"!

Rainbow King: Thank you!!! I'm so happy that you're my first friend! Nice to meet you, Eba!
Eba: H... hey, Rainbow King... What's this "friend" thing you're talking about?
Rainbow King: Hmmm... A friend is someone you laugh and play and talk with!

Eba: I'm your friend...?
Rainbow King: Of course! I came here to make friends with the people below...
Rainbow King: What's wrong, Eba?! Are you hurt?
Eba: No... It's nothing...
Eba: I'm okay...

Eba: I'll get them back...
Eba: I'm gonna get them back...
Eba: No matter what.
Eba: No matter what.........

Voice: Anybody... Is anybody out there...?
Voice: If you can hear me, please... answer...
[sfx: blink]

It's been 10 days since Poyoko came to the RTV base.
Poyoko: (Did I just... hear someone...?)
For the past 5 days, RTV have had a party to celebrate the release of the void. And today...
Poyoko will be sent to the egg.

[sfx: chew chew chew]
Jester-Hat Cultist: Oh!! All by yourself, Savior? Can I eat here too?
Poyoko: Sure.
Jester-Hat Cultist: I overslept!
Jester-Hat Cultist: Oh! You have some on your face!
Jester-Hat Cultist: Heehee! You're such a klutz, Savior!
Eba: Sheesh! You're a handful and a half!

Poyoko: ......Eba...
Jester-Hat Cultist: Huh?!
Poyoko: Huh...?
Poyoko: Oh.
Jester-Hat Cultist: That surprised me!! What's wrong?!
Poyoko: (I've started to cry over everything...)
Poyoko: (Even though up until now... I could always hold it in...)
Poyoko: .........The person who was always with me died.

Poyoko: We weren't together for that long, but I remember him... all the time...
Poyoko: We walked together... we ate together... he helped me when I was in trouble. He took care of me when I was sick.
Poyoko: He was so nice.
This feeling... I know it. The more I think about him, the harder it gets to breathe.

It feels like there's a hole in the middle of my chest.
...Oh.
This is what loneliness feels like.
That's why the tears won't stop.
Jester-Hat Cultist: ...Oh. I've lost friends before too, so I get it. It's awful to be alone...

[sfx: drip drip]
Poyoko: Yeah.
Poyoko: I... I miss Eba.

Cultist: Savior. It's time. Let's go.
Cultist: I'll bring you to the egg.
Jester-Hat Cultist: ......


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