"Hey!"

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"Hey!!"

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"He still can't hear me, huh?"

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"Well, no matter! I can wait some more."

>>>

A long sigh sounded as drops of rain continued calmly descending from the cloudy sky. An occasional lightning strike would make those empty eyes a bit more lifelike.

The thunder that followed would shake the air and surroundings, causing a certain someone's heart to speed up a bit.

Since he was a kid, he had always liked wind, lightning, thunder and rain.

Lightning was visually overpowering, making him feel the thrill of life and his powerlessness before the nature.

Thunder always made his heart speed up when it passed through him, as if something within awakened with every lightning strike.

And finally, after all of these, the gentle melody of myriad raindrops, stirred by the heavenly winds, calmed his agitated mind and heart.

It was an ever-lasting cycle as long as there was an ongoing storm.

"Hehe... it's fun—as always."

The guy raised his eyes toward the dark sky. An endless darkness kept blocking out the sun behind its majesty. The only light that could thrive in this scenery would come from lightning strikes—other than that, not a single ray of light could pass.

Yet—for some reason, this was his favorite scenery. This gloomy world, where everyone was in their homes—no people on the streets, no birds on the trees, no sun in the sky.

This almost desolate scenery brought him incomparable serenity.

"Hm?"

It seemed he had noticed something, as the man's eyes focused on one particular area in his courtyard. The perfect symmetry present in the blanket of rain was broken by a small swirl of air—like a miniature cyclone.

The order and symmetry was broken and that very scene caused his heart to thump yet again—for it was another thing that could excite this weird fella.

"Ahh... how beautiful, isn't it? In the midst of order, a tiny difference in pressure sparks a change that brings upon chaos - if this isn't the beauty of the nature, what is?"

The man spoke aloud, as if talking to someone—however nobody was present. It seemed this peculiar guy was... perhaps... insane?

Or... was he?

*Ka~.... Rumble!*

"Oh, so you agree as well - don't ya?", he asked while looking at the sky. However, there was no answer. It would be strange if the sky answered him, wouldn't it?

"You... can you finally feel my presence, little human?", a voice appeared in his mind, as if it was spoken from within him and not from outside.

"Hmmm... why don't you guess? Did I just speak to myself, or did I speak to you—what do you think is the case?"

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

"Well, well... if this isn't surprising! I never thought you'd be able to call out to me even before I came to you!", the voice echoed silently - as if an angel gently whispered within the guy's mind.

"Hehe, leave that aside now. Tell me, isn't this beautiful?", the man asked nobody in particular—for he knew the thing in his mind could hear.

His eyes were anchored to the streaks of lightning in the distance. His heartbeat started slowly rising from the reverberations brought by the distant destruction. The thrill was condensing within him.

"You are a strange one, human."

"Mm.. I know. Everyone kept saying that all the time, after all."

"..."

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"Say—what do you need me for?", the guy asked while slowly extending his right hand and opening his palm. Feeling the droplets land in his hand, the thrill within him stabilized for a moment, before another lightning strike awoke it again.

"Hee... why do you think I need you? You are a mere human, what could you possibly have that I need?", the voice asked.

"Hmm... I'm not even sure myself. Is it a host you need, a friend—perhaps? Or... are you after my soul?"

"..."

"Spot-on, huh?", the guy said as he slowly closed his open hand filled with rainwater.

"What do you need it for? Why me?"

"...", *Sigh*

"This is why I was cautious of talking with you. Your humans' intuition is scary... Anyways, you were close but not exactly right."

"Eeh? So I was wrong, after all! Well, no matter."

"No matter? ... How can you be so indifferent? Isn't this the first time you've come in contact with something like me? Aren't you curious about what I am? About why I am inside of your mind right now?"

"I never said I wasn't—instead, why are you so concerned about my indifference? Are you the one who's more curious about me or am I more curious about you? Which will it be?"

"..."

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Amidst the silence, both of them thought about what the guy just said. Who was it that was more curious about the other?

Was it him, or was it this mysterious entity?

None of them spoke anything as rain continued falling. It seemed as if this silence was a contest among the two. As to what kind of contest—nobody knew other than them.

But perhaps... even they didn't know?

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"Hey."

"Hm?"

"Aren't you going to ask anything?"

"But I already did. It's just you never answered me, so I gave you the time to think it through."

"Wha—oh... right. I actually forgot..."

The guy finally moved from the safety of his house and went out in the middle of the courtyard, standing in the rain and letting it soak him entirely.

As he spread his hands apart and enjoyed the chilly wind blowing, he spoke once again, "Now that you've remembered—would you mind answering?"

"..."

*Sigh*, "Okay. But let me warn you—after I tell you about it, you won't be able to go back to your normal life. If you still want to remain here, you should say so while you ca-."

"There's no need for that.", the guy cut her off as a mysterious smile surfaced on his face.

"Huh?!", the voice echoed with its pitch slightly raised.

"Why are you so surprised?", the guy asked while closing his eyes and leaning back his head as drops of rain slid along the contours of his face.

"Y-you... are so, so weird! Are you even human?"

"Hmm... perhaps? But I don't think so. I've never felt human, after all..."

"Wha... nevermind. I can't understand you so I won't even try. What I am after is - your fate!"

The guy's closed eyes slightly parted, as if slightly taken aback by the answer.

"My... fate?", he murmured.

"Yes! Your fate. What I am after is your fate—that is, your everything! Soul, mind, knowledge, weirdness, sins. Everything that you posses, I want."

"Hmm... this is quite unexpected ... By the way, what are you?"

"You finally asked, huh? I am what you humans call 'fate'."

"Heeeh... so fate wants my fate? Quite interesting. Might I know why?"

"You're finally becoming curious, are you not?"

"..."

"Well, in any case—let me answer. Out of all the humans on this planet I've ever seen, since the start of humanity - before your race was even able to say 'Uuga', I've been observing you all. Looking for the one who would make me feel unique about them... and I finally found you!"

"Eeh... so why did it have to be me?"

"Frankly speaking, I have no idea. Even you don't understand yourself—so how could I? It's just that you give me this feeling... like an endless void filled with mysteries."

The guy's parted eyes closed once again as he faintly nodded, "Well, that's surprising."

The head he'd previously leaned back finally straightened and his outstretched hands morphed into a particular pose, as if he was meditating while standing. His right leg slid back while his left leg slightly bent and his spine straightened.

While the two kept conversing, the guy started making some strange movements, as if he was practicing some kind of an old martial art.

"There you have it, that's why I want your fate. So, what do you say?"

"Hn... huuuu... Is there anything I can say? The fate came for me—it's not like I can say no, is it?"

"Not really—if you don't want, you don't have to. But you will—however—miss the chance to acquire what you've been yearning for!"

"There, see? Even if I wanted to say no, after you told me something like that, how could I not be curious?"

"Hehe, you say it as if you aren't able to control your curiosity, mister Indifferent Guy."

"Well, you have a point there. Fine, I accept."

"And there you have it, I knew you are the one. It's so easy to talk to intelligent people!"

"So anyways, what am I to do now? Do I have to go jump off the building or something?"

"Huh? ... Oh! No, no. I will take care of your death. You don't need to torture yourself. And I guarantee you will also like it!"

"I will like my death? Then it can only be...", the guy said as his tightly closed eyes fully opened and he glanced at the sky.

The storm had became even stronger than before while he had a little chit-chat with fate. He had been oblivious to it, but there weren't many high things around him. Furthermore, his new friend—fate—said that he would like the way he died. There was only one thing that came to mind in that instant, and he was sure fate knew him well enough to know what made him thrilled.

He stopped completely and took one last glance at the home he grew up in, took in the scenery around him and took one last deep breath. As air filled his lungs, his hands spread apart as he stared directly at the sky.

And then, *BOOM*.

Everything turned white and the sounds of wind and rain vanished. The only sound that remained was ringing in his ears and the only feeling he felt was weakness and heat.

Every cell of his body was overheating.

Every organ was burnt and ruptured.

Every tissue torn.

Every thought fading...

His eyes couldn't see anything else, only endless stretch of white lingered before him.

Yet—he smiled.

For this was what he always dreamed of. The thing he was always curious of. The feeling he always wanted to feel.

The feeling of lightning - that endless destructive energy.

He finally had the chance, at the end of his life. And—as he had expected—he liked it.

"Come, little human. Show me your resolve!"

That was the final voice he was able to hear—the final thought on his mind, before his consciousness faded forever.