I was forced to follow along with them. I mean, there was no choice for me to fight back, y’know. Red had become like his current form—strong beyond comparison, especially if you compare him to the average feeble Unborn. They didn’t tie me up of course, but just having to walk between that thing you once called friend and another of his kin was enough to send my stomach awry.

The worst part was, Red still considered it normal. He was still acting like the old Aka that I knew. But those innocent words, coming out of that body… I couldn’t take it.

“Midori, what’s the matter?” He asked. “You’ve been awfully quiet. Was there anything wrong in that cave?”

“Huh? Uh… No, not really,” I shook my head. It was instinct, but I knew that if I were to reveal the story about the Dragon God to him right now, my life wouldn’t be sure. I’m not like you, kid—I’m unfortunately a coward. If I were to be in a situation of life and death, I’d choose to save my own behind. That’s just the kind of person I am.

When I was back to the village, however, I soon realized that “normal” was something I’d lost long ago.

“No! I don’t wanna!” An all too familiar voice cried out. Then, a couple of adults in the same armor came out of the nearby house, restraining a crying girl and her chubby larva along with her.

“Yamabuki?” I instinctively moved forward. “Aka, what’s wrong? Shouldn’t we go help her?”

“Nah, she’s fine,” all I got was a shake of the head. “She’s supposed to be undergoing her Evolution next, but she’s not accepting it. That’s all.”

As he took another step forward, something crossed his mind. Turning back to me, Red asked, still with a smile on his face. “Oh, right. How about you do yours first, Midori? You should have been before Yamabuki anyway.”

That was the last straw. I couldn’t take it anymore—this fake normalcy that everyone was putting up. But it wasn’t even their fault; to them, the adults, it was normal. We were immature, so we were “wrong”, according to them. But not on my watch.

“This Evolution ritual… what exactly is it?”

“Hm? Wouldn’t leaving it to the main show be better?” Asked Red in return. “You wouldn’t want spoilers now, would you?”

“Enough, A… no, Red. I was missing for a week, sure. But you come to me with no partner beside you, wearing something eerily similar to the shell of said partner, and you expect me to just shut up and listen? Something’s wrong, even I can tell you that! So explain now, Red!”

“Partner?” The man cocked his head in confusion for just a moment. “Oh, you mean my Onigiri?”

“What else?”

“What do you mean it’s not with me?” Pointing towards his heart, Red flashed a white grin—the kind that would suck your soul straight in with just a look. “It’s right here. See? We’ve become one. That’s what Evolution is all about, after all.”

“Become one? Don’t give me that crap! You ate it, didn’t you? That’s not just armor, that’s your new flesh and skin! Don’t you find it strange? Wrong? Immoral, even?”

“What on earth are you talking about, Midori? Oh, wait, since you called me ‘Red’ just now, then I’d probably call you ‘Green’ right?”

“That’s not the point!”

“Well, in any case, why is it weird? It’s our way of survival. It’s nature’s gift to us to survive. The circle of life, if you will.”

The bastard was not budging. Of course he wouldn’t—he’s the chief now that he became an Evolved.

“If anything,” Red continued, his eyes burning at me, “it’s weirder that you knew, considering that no one should have been aware of this matter until they undergo their own ritual, while you’ve been gone from the village for a week. Tell me, what else do you know?”

“I know that this is wrong, damn it! We were partners; family, even! How could you just kill and eat your own partner like that?”

Red, upon being hit with the question, only let out a sigh. “Every year, I tell you, there are cases like this. I just didn’t think that both of my friends would be the same.”

Rubbing his head in frustration, he waved at the other bodyguards traveling with us, like chasing away an annoying fly:

“Lock him in with his Omushi. Don’t give them anything until they agree to partake in the ritual.”

In the end, I was transferred here—yup, this very cave-cell. Well, we only ever had a single cave for this kind of thing, after all. I don’t know what happened to Yellow afterwards, since I never heard her voice around here. Whereas for me, Red and the others just threw me in here with my Yanonpa, and left us there to dry. No food, no water, nothing.

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

I wasn’t restrained—what good would a kid do against bamboo bars anyway? Those things are too flexible to be broken apart with brute force, and neither me nor my partner had blade-like things to cut it open. Using wind wasn’t advised either, since the space was too cramped, and they had already clipped just a small part of its wings to lose its balance. Only when it struggled to fly in the cell did I notice—horrible, I know. I was a terrible person, after all.

I must be sounding like I’m making excuses. But I really believed that I couldn’t do anything. I was an Unborn—a natural weakling. Not only that, my body was only getting weaker by the day without anything to put in my stomach.

The first day, I was punching the bars like my life depended on it. I screamed out the top of my lungs, hoping that someone would hear my pleas and reconsider. It was a pipe dream of course—if Red didn’t agree with me, I doubt anyone else would. And I was right.

By the second day, my hands were bleeding and my throat was already parched. I didn’t have the strength to punch the bars anymore, and speaking was hard by itself. So I resorted to throwing rocks I found in the cell towards the outside.

By the third day, bags formed under my eyes. I’d lost my voice, and my arms were harder to lift. Instead of rocks, I threw fistfuls of dirt and sand.

By the fourth day, each second felt like my stomach was being torn apart—it was like I was trying to digest myself from the inside out. I didn’t have any strength left to do anything anymore.

By the fifth day, I was basically waiting for my demise.

But do you know what the worst thing about that experience was?

Not a single day did I look at my partner again.

I was selfish. No, it would be more accurate to say that I’m still selfish. I told you before, didn’t I? If I was put in a situation where I would have to make a life-or-death choice, I’d always save my own behind. So I didn’t notice the state my Yanonpa was in. Or rather, I purposely chose to ignore it, because doing so, it could trigger whatever compassion I had left in my pathetic self.

Because of it, I chose to shut myself off. Even when its once proud wings were clipped, unable to take off to the sky anymore. Even when its crimson eyes were dulled and devoid of life. Or when its tail didn’t curl with vitality. Or when its green hue turned to a darker shade. I ignored all of that, just to save myself.

My body was at its limits. At that point, I was ready to do anything. And Red knew it too.

A week later, he opened the cell.

“Ready to evolve yet, buddy?” He asked. Still that same cheerful voice, that innocent tone. But I knew, his words were filled with malice.

Yet, at that point, I didn’t care anymore. Anything to get me out of that hell.

“… Sure.”

The rest was history.

Did you know how good meat tasted after a week of being left to starve? Even if it was from your own companion? I was given a knife made from obsidian, so it was easy to stab a weakened Omushi, even in my current state. Once Yanonpa was dead, I devoured it whole—tail, wings, torso, head. It felt good. The best I’d ever felt in my life, even. And the worst I’d ever experienced.

After that… Well, there wasn’t much of a story anymore.

*

“And that’s everything,” Green concluded. “A shitty story, right?”

“… Dude, your story was so much worse than mine.” I could only feign a grunt. How could I even react to such a heavy deal? My pain compared to his was nothing—I only ever felt helplessness. But at least I didn’t have to eat my own friend.

“You’re a good kid, you know that?” Green exclaimed.

“Stop it. I’m not a good person either. I didn’t even believe in any of you.”

“That’s the right thing though,” the man chuckled.

“Well, at least there’s one ally I can trust now.”

“Three, you mean. Blue and Black weren’t involved in the incident, after all. They’re safe. I’d add Yellow too, but with her being out of commission right now, there’s not a lot that she can do anyway.”

“Speaking of which,” Green’s words reminded me of a certain detail in his story. Or rather, a lack of detail. “While I understand that Blue and Black weren’t involved in the incident, Blue is someone who came from another land, right?”

“Yup,” nodded Green. “While not exactly like you, Blue is from a place beyond the oceans to the far east.”

“Then… who exactly is Black?”

“Black? That’s easy…” Green let out a grin, but soon enough, his face was frozen in place. “Wait, who is Black again?”

“Huh? You don’t remember?”

“I… don’t,” he mumbled. “I know he’s in our village, but… that’s about it. But if that’s the case, then how come I didn’t have a single memory of him in our village? It’s not like we were a particularly big community, even back then.”

“Wait, then how come you know Black is…”

Before I could say another word, a voice called out to us from the outside.

“You guys are talking about me?”

A familiar muscular figure appeared before us. However, in his arms was another familiar critter, who was definitely not enjoying his company, considering its struggle to break free.

“Kuri! Kuri!”

“Akari! Bastard, what are you doing?” I cried out.

“Chill. I’m just bringing the girl here to you,” the man answered. Turning to my cellmate, he continued. “We found it, Green. The cave you asked. We’ll depart immediately.”

“Wasn’t the plan supposed to be letting the kid train with Blue?” Green asked.

“There’s no time. Red is pushing things ahead of schedule, and Blue’s fighting him right now—that’s why I have to bring Akari here. There’s already a commotion in the village, so we’ll use it to make our way out.”

“Get him! He can’t be far away!” From afar, I could hear a few different voices shouting in anger.

“See?” Black concluded.

“Okay, change of plans then.” Green nodded, standing up right away. “Break us out of here, kid.”

It took me a second to understand what he meant.

“Me? Oh, right.”

It was only a day, but I felt like it was forever. Every action became so familiar, it was as if I was moving my own arms and legs.

Even though the situation was dire for us, right now, I felt invincible with her around. My one and only, irreplaceable partner.

“Akari, slice this thing open!”

“Kuri!”